


Honor and Masculinity

by read_write_thrive



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Bending (Avatar), Alternate Universe - Pride and Prejudice Fusion, Alternate Universe - Regency, Background Piandao/Jeong Jeong, Background Relationships, Based on the Movie/Miniseries, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), Bisexual Ty Lee (Avatar), Except it's more historical with bending, F/F, F/M, Gay Appa (Avatar), Gay Momo (Avatar), Gay Zuko (Avatar), Gen, How Do I Tag, Human Appa, Human Momo, Kataang - Freeform, M/M, Not Beta Read, Regency Romance, Sapphic Azula (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, but its actually Appa x Bosco, pride and prejudice au, tyzula - Freeform, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:41:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 36,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25523806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/read_write_thrive/pseuds/read_write_thrive
Summary: The world of the Bennet family is simple: Hakoda, the master of Longbourn House, is a gentleman with "constant business to attend to", if only to escape the rest of his family's antics. Kanna, mother of Hakoda and mistress of the house, is a gentlewoman by birth who is simultaneously very aware of how crucial it is to marry the children off well and of how attractive men can be in military regalia. Katara, the eldest daughter of Hakoda, is almost guaranteed to marry well with her effortless beauty, caring yet determined nature, and her powerful waterbending abilities. Ty Lee, the youngest and only adoptive daughter of Hakoda, is almost guaranteed to make a fool of herself no matter where she goes, with her tendency to flirt with everyone available and her lack of concern for her own future. And lastly is Sokka, the middle child and only son of Hakoda, who is not guaranteed anything at all, as he occupies a space between two very different lifestyles and which path he takes has yet to be determined.Their world is simple, but it will not remain that way for long.
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Hahn/Yue (Avatar), Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Katara & Ty Lee, Sokka & Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 21





	1. Netherfield Park is Let at Last

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! Just a few warnings before we begin:  
> -I have never written A:tLA fanfic before  
> -I have never written any regency-era anything  
> -I have not read the novel Pride and Prejudice  
> -and I am publishing (at least this first part) without any major or outside editing
> 
> Those all being said, I'm afraid you will have to bear with me as I learn and adjust as I go. With that, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!! And that includes questions, corrections to the plot, corrections to historical/canon accuracy, and any suggestions/headcanons you may have, as I am writing this part by part and will probably address anything glaringly obvious within the story itself. In terms of what to expect, I will most likely not be any more explicit in terms of sexual themes than the 1995 P&P miniseries, meaning that our youngest Bennet will be having some implied relations with her not-yet-spouse at the age of 16 but I will not go into any details about the affair, so as for now the rating will remain at G and I will not use the underage warning as it is complicit with the source material. Length-wise I have no idea of how long this is going to be, though I know the complete work will for sure exceed 10 chapters/50K words (and that may prove to be a conservative estimate--only time will tell). I will include more notes about the setting/world at the end just in case anyone is confused, but other than that I hope you enjoy!

The mornings in Longbourn House were rarely ever quiet affairs, despite the Bennet family being of wealthy enough gentility to excuse them from menial labor. They were not the wealthy or powerful enough sort to confide in members of the court or anyone of named nobility, but they were happy enough in their corner of England. No, it is not work that rouses the residents of the estate into early action each and every day, but rather the expressive habits of the eldest and youngest members of the family.

“Hakoda! You simply must call upon them!” called Mrs. Kanna Bennet, the eldest current resident of Longbourn House. A natural beauty in her prime, though it had been many years since and she was not a bender like her siblings to boost her in society. Kanna had been forced to marry into the Bennet line which was barely equal to her natural rank in society upon birth, and she had not been happy with the situation in the slightest at the time, though her years at the estate (especially after the passing of her old-fashioned husband) had cooled her temper. In fact, she had been the mistress of the estate for close to five decades now, though her reign was briefly interrupted by her son Hakoda’s late wife, who was granted the title for a mere four years before her untimely passing. As Hakoda had little to no intention of remarrying anytime soon, Mrs. Bennet resumed her position both as mistress of the household and carer of the children. Though she loved her grandchildren dearly, she was also quite eager to see them all married and situated appropriately, hence this morning’s bickering.

“Mother, I have other business to attend to besides visiting every newcomer to the neighbourhood--” Answered the man in question, a 50-year-old Mr. Hakoda Bennet, who was getting ever so tired of his mother’s constant interference. She had a habit of interfering in every affair Hakoda had ever dealt in, from his failed waterbending training (Kanna had blamed his father for the lack of ability, despite her own non-bender status) to his lack of actual profession (despite his pleas to allow him to become a naval officer) and especially to his marriage and subsequent children. Even escaping to his office had not helped him any deal, so he had returned to the west-facing parlor to endure the speech (and to awaken the other members of the household who were still getting ready at the top of the staircase, for if he had to deal with the ruckus he wanted everyone else to suffer accordingly).

“Katara, have you seen my new ribbons with the silver trim? I want to redo this old bonnet,” the youngest member of the household, a 16-year-old Miss Ty Lee Bennet, was doing her own part of awakening everyone by barging into her elder sister’s room and waving about a bonnet that was in perfectly good condition, minus the ribbons that had been messily removed. Ty Lee was a bit of an odd case, for she was not the natural daughter of Hakoda and the late Kya, like her elder siblings were. Instead, she was a distant cousin from Kya’s side of the family. Her natural parents had fallen to harsh economic conditions, and were therefore unable to properly care for their seven daughters. None of the girls had possessed any bending ability, nor any superior beauty, so even the eldest girls were unable to marry well enough to help support the rest of the family. Though Kya had already passed, Hakoda felt obligated to help them, and offered to take in the youngest as his own daughter.Thus Ty Lee joined the household at the young age of seven-- old enough to remember her natural sisters and parents, but young enough to integrate very well into the new household. 

“You mean the ribbons I loaned you the money for and the bonnet I have been looking for for these last three months combined?” 22-year-old Miss Katara Bennet asked from her place sat at her vanity, undoing her paper curls and methodically pinning them in their rightful places. Katara was the pride of the Bennet family in many aspects, as she was the eldest daughter who possessed both a powerful waterbending ability and a natural beauty of countenance. She was the one trusted to marry well to help secure her siblings’ subsequent marriages, and took both her bending and etiquette very seriously indeed, oftentimes to the point of chafe with her younger siblings. However, she was also very caring in her nature, so neither of the siblings could stand to be mad at her for very long (also lest they risk being at the opposing end of her waterbending). This caring nature is what allowed her to abandon her hair momentarily to talk Ty Lee through where the ribbons could potentially be, which was enough to turn the girl out of the room to and parading back to her own room in her search, giggling all the way.

“How is one ever supposed to get any sleep around here?” called the last of the Bennet siblings, a 20-year-old Mr. Sokka Bennet, whose room was unfortunately situated between his sisters’, leading to his less than joyful awakening. While Katara’s boasts in society included her bending and being the eldest sibling, Sokka had neither such claims. Though his sex granted him a slight power of agency, even this was not enough to give him a secure footing within society, for he was of a slight build and delicate disposition, and even his birthright of the Longbourn estate was entitled away from him due to his birth order and lack of bending. These were natural facts of the society the Bennets resided in, but this did not prevent Sokka from feeling constantly cheated of his “rightful” position. His temper was made even worse by the fact that the family, in supporting three children, an elderly grandmother, and a father who was too charitable for his own good, had little to no money for a proper education. Mrs. Bennet insisted that, as a gentleman’s son, he did not need such degrees in law or religion, and had therefore she spent up any allowance Hakoda had set aside for his son before Sokka could be made aware of the injustice, all while forbidding the young boy from learning any skills or joining any careers that may allow him to make his own way in the world. And, though he loved his family dearly, Sokka’s temper had never quite recovered from the cheat in circumstance.

“If you went to sleep and woke up at a proper hour, you could get all the sleep you need.” Katara responded to his rhetorics from outside of his door, having finished her hair and begun moving downstairs for breakfast, “Besides, it’s not like you need very long to get ready.” This statement was true, of course, as Sokka needed simply to get dressed in his shirt, waistcoat, trousers and boots and he would be presentable enough for a simple family breakfast, whereas the girls were held to much higher standards. Nevertheless, Sokka was also the sort of man to take pride in his appearance as much as possible, so this fact, while true, was also not applicable to Sokka’s basic character-- a fact that Katara and the rest of the family knew very well and mocked whenever possible. 

“It’s too early for this.” was Sokka’s only reply to the jest as he properly began getting ready, showing his true exhaustion. He had no particular reason to be tired this morning except his affinity for sleep and his usual late night anxieties. One of his more common anxieties--his impending marriage to Lord knows whom, which could either mean a boost in society (which is accompanied by a change in his surname and a cementation of him as a man dependent on others and therefore less masculine, though would guarantee his comfort and approval by his father and grandmother) or a degradation in society (in which he could keep his name and masculinity, but would be forced into an entirely different way of living which could easily ruin his own and potentially even his sisters’ reputations in society, a definite misstep in the eyes of his guardians)--had been the plague this night previous. Unfortunately, such a worrying topic was also what his father and grandmother had been bickering about all morning, continuing into breakfast.

“--why must you always dispute my good advice? This young man could be just what we need!”

“And what exactly do we need, mother?”

“We need to see one of the children married! They’re of proper age--”

“Ty Lee is not yet seventeen, mother--”

“Sixteen is just as well as seventeen! Even if not her, two and twenty is just the prime age for marrying, and twenty--”

“Is still too young for a young man, I was not married until I was seven and twenty.”

“Sokka is not of the same situation or disposition, he’ll be married before twenty-five, I am sure of it.”

“That is up for him to decide--”

The conversation was taking place in the dining room, naturally, but snippets of raised tones could be heard throughout the main house. It could especially be heard by Katara, who had settled within the dining room to eat and pointedly ignore the conversation, and by Ty Lee and Sokka, who gathered outside of the main door to listen in on the conversation without the risk of being asked anything directly. This was an unintentional gathering, yet Ty Lee did not question Sokka’s choice to remain outside of the room with her once he finally descended the stairs.

“Why aren’t you in there? You were dismissed from the conversation already,” Sokka asked of his younger sister, careful to whisper as they kept their ears pressed to the door.

“Oh please, as soon as I enter Papa will change the topic to whatever he wants to lecture me about this week. I’m trying to figure out who Gran Gran is trying to set you and Katara up with!”

However, the conversation inside had quieted and Hill really needed to get through the door the two were listening at, so their eavesdropping was cut short. Entering the room and giving the customary good mornings meant Katara had every opportunity to give them looks of suspicion, but neither they nor their guardians commented on it.

“Ty Lee, please pass this to your father,” Gran Gran said in her usual polite yet quietly upset tone. Ty Lee, who was attempting to meet Katara’s glare with a look of her own, took a second to register the request, and therefore gave Hakoda exactly the topic change he was looking for.

“Ty Lee, you can finish your staring contest later. Listen to your grandmother.” 

Ty Lee obviously huffed at the comment, though she passed the dish as she was told. Hakoda, ever vigilant, picked up on this huff as well.

“Ty Lee--”

“I was wondering, father, if perhaps you would like a break from your work to accompany us into town today? Ty Lee and I wanted to peruse Ford’s before the ball at the end of the week.” Katara cut off the rant entirely, fully aware that his lessons were at best going to fall on deaf ears and at worst going to begin an argument. 

“I have business to attend to, Katara, Sokka can accompany you.” Hakoda immediately brushed off the offer, which everyone expected of him. Sokka was ready to fight the commandeering of his time, but decided against riling his father against him.

“And if you happen upon our new neighbours while in town, you are absolutely forbidden from speaking to them, as your father has decreed we are to never know them.” Gran Gran instructed them, earning silence from the children but a huff from Hakoda himself.

“Mother, must you--”

“Apparently so! He could do very well for Katara or Sokka, but you refuse--”

“Who are we speaking of?” Sokka cut the bickering off, hoping instead to get he and Ty lee the information they had struggled to overhear.

“His name is Mr. Bingley, and he is an avatar bender with an allowance of 5,000 pounds a year! He is renting Netherfield Park, and rumor has it he will be bringing himself and friends to the Assembly,” Gran Gran relayed the details as if she had been unable to say them until directly asked, looking at Hakoda the entire time as she did so.

“An avatar? A real, proper avatar? Do you think he’ll demonstrate his bending at the ball? Oh I hope he does!” Ty Lee gushed, having only read about avatar benders, who could bend all four elements at will. To a non-bender, even one form of bending was extraordinary, but all four was truly a sight to behold. Such wonder lead to it being commonplace for all types of benders to demonstrate their abilities at formal gatherings, and, if the venue is large enough, it is commonplace for a whole room to be decorated for such demonstrations. Katara, being twenty two years of age, had begun demonstrating as soon as it was proper and had therefore been waterbending at various balls and occasions for over five years now. She once complained to Sokka that she felt such demonstrations to be embarrassing, but Sokka had little to no sympathy to be shared over the matter.

“If it pleases you all and changes the topic away from Mr. Bingley, I shall call upon him tomorrow morning so that you may be properly introduced to him at the ball. Is that sufficient, mother?” Hakoda punctuated his acquiescence with a sip of his wine, which thankfully hid his grimace as Ty Lee squealed out a giggle.

~~

“Oh, do you think he’s handsome? How old do you think he is? Oh, I can’t wait for the ball!” 

“Ty Lee, must you be so loud? I’m afraid poor Sokka may not like the topic of our conversation.” Katara couldn’t help but jest, peering around Sokka to address her sister who hung off his other arm.

“But why not? He likes to talk about handsome men at home at lower volumes, why am I forced to quiet myself?” now it was Ty Lee’s turn to push at his side with her elbow in jest, pushing Sokka well and fully over the edge of his already short temper.

“You--”

“Sokka, watch your tongue,” Katara scolded him as they got closer and closer to town, not even allowing him a full sentence.

“I am watching my tongue, thank you Katara! I just wanted to point out that Ty Lee needs a better understanding of what is appropriate to discuss in public and what isn’t!” Sokka snapped, though subconsciously glad for the moment to collect his thoughts properly.

“It’s no secret you like men, Sokka. You’ve been best friends with Yue Lucas for years and have yet to fall in love with her!” Ty Lee continued to tease despite the warning, giggling in her usual, silly way.

Sokka felt his face heat up, “Why does everyone assume that, just because Yue and I are not married and never will be married, that is evidence we have no taste for the opposite sex? She would be marrying up if we did marry, and I have not the education nor the estate to support her in her ill health. She has to marry someone more established.”

“I never said marriage, I said you never fell in love with her.” Ty Lee insisted, despite Katara’s glare urging her to drop the subject.

Sokka feel himself grow redder still, and tucked his head slightly under the brim of his hat, responding softly enough as to not be overheard, “It’s true that got over any romantic inclinations I had towards Yue years ago, for both our sakes, but you may never claim I do not care deeply for her.”

The group fell to silence the rest of the journey, with a tenseness between them so severe that Sokka refused to accompany his sisters into the shop itself, instead remaining outside to cool his temper and wait for them to finish being girly. The town center of Meryton was bustling as per usual, though the few people Sokka actually knew were workers of the stalls or were otherwise preoccupied, so Sokka was left to contemplate his temper alone as he watched strangers pass by. One such pair of strangers, however, was slightly more strange than the rest.

The pair of men walked with distance too great between them to be a couple, but not too great as to assume unfamiliarity. Both were obviously gentlemen, due to their class in dress and the pedigree of the horses they led along with them, but that in itself did not make them strange. No, instead the oddity began in their countenances and manners, for Sokka felt he had seen no such people before in his life. The elder of the two men, if his posture and less childlike appearance were good indicators of his age, dressed in dark materials and wore a hat with a brim silky enough to reflect sunlight. Even the brim of the hat, however, could not hide the horrendous scarring across the left side of his face--a serious burn, though one that had been healed for many years. He could scarcely be thirty years of age, yet the scar and his uptight posture made him appear world-weary beyond his years. The younger man, though he was taller in stature, had a persona gregarious and boisterous enough to be heard clear across the way, and wore such fabulous yellow and orange tones that Sokka was sure they had to be imported materials from far-off lands. In fact, his lack of hat (despite the sun and his companion’s appropriate day dress) revealed hair much shorter and straighter than was fashionable, as if he had only begun growing it recently, and beneath the short locks revealed the oddest blue markings on his forehead and neck, as if an arrow shot up from the base of his spine towards his eyes. Sokka had no idea what to make of said markings or said men, and decided to silently watch their meanderings through the marketplace.

Soon enough, the men had wandered out of sight and Sokka felt himself grow bored. Peering into the shop window, he saw his sisters in fierce discussion over the assortment of ribbons available, and decided he could no longer prolong his fate. Stepping into the brightly colored store felt emasculating in and of itself, but his presence there as a companion to his sisters would not look too out of place, hence his rushing to their side. They noticed him approaching, and their debate seemed to grow more heated even as their voices turned to whispers. Once at their side, however, Ty Lee had no such patience for secrecy.

“Sokka, do you prefer the darker blue ribbon that would coordinate very well with your favourite blue coat or the lighter blue ribbon that vaguely resembles your eyes?” Ty Lee held up two lengths of ribbon for his approval, prying the lighter ribbon from Katara’s hands clasped behind her back.

Katara simply sighed at her sister’s antics and began to explain, “I was trying to convince Ty Lee to buy you something to apologise for her rudeness earlier, but then we couldn’t decide which ribbon you would prefer. I think the lighter color better suits you, but Ty Lee insists on the darker blue.”

“But-- what use do I have for a ribbon? Ribbons are worn only by ladies, and any other use would be frivolous for such an expense.” Sokka had half a mind to feel offended over the idea that he, a gentleman, would wear such a feminine item, though he had to admit the ribbons looked fetching and were pleasing to the touch. Nevertheless, he attempted to remain logical and not buy both outright, against his natural love of shopping.

“Well, you can use it to. . .” Ty Lee trailed off, looking to Katara for support.

“Perhaps you can use it to embellish your fob watch? Or maybe you can tie it to your cane so that you may keep better track of it. Or you can replace the boring black one you always wear in your hair,” Katara suggested, jest evident in her tone though she smiled brightly as to show no malice.

Sokka pulled out the watch in question, having left his cane at Longbourn (he really was constantly misplacing it, and knew his sisters would occupy his arms anyway) and not even entertaining the idea to replace his beloved black velvet hair ribbon, which had been a gift from Yue years prior. The embellishment on the watch currently present was in well enough shape, though the suggestions were reasonable.

As it happened, Sokka accepted their apologies without any bribery and bought both ribbons with his own allowance, attaching the lighter ribbon to his watch and promising to use the darker with his cane once they returned home. Finally, once he and his sisters had made their purchases, they once again linked arms and began their own wandering throughout the marketplace on their pleasant journey home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, I am going to lay out some aspects of the world that I'm afraid may not come across well on first reading but are definitely implied.
> 
> First, the setting: the year is roughly 1810 (slightly later than Pride & Prejudice probably is set, but this will not impact the story much, it is only important to know that the Napoleonic Wars are currently happening and any ages given will relate to the year 1810) and this takes place in all the locations given in Pride and Prejudice, with no changes being made to suit AtLA cannon, meaning that there are no separate nations (barring the air nomads, who share a similar history to what the Romani and Jewish people have experienced but are in no way meant to represent these groups).
> 
> Second, the world they live in: as was tagged and is probably obvious, despite the lack of nations there is still bending in this universe! Bending gives an individual a slightly elevated rank in society, is genetic to a certain extent but is not dominant, may be implied but not demonstrated, and exists as five types: Air benders, Water benders, Earth benders, Fire benders, and Avatar benders. Avatar bending is the most rare BUT is not only one individual in a lifetime (so in theory, Kyoshi and Roku and all those past avatars could make guest appearances, though they likely will not). Avatar bending is still similar to canon AtLA, however, in that each individual has a "natural" element, that is genetic, and then learns the rest of the elements in order. Along with this, demonstrations at balls are commonplace and expected much like how women in Jane Austen works are often expected to perform the piano/sing at social gatherings.
> 
> Third, the characters themselves: not everyone from both works has been included! Those who did not make the cut include Mary and Kitty from P&P and Iroh from AtLA (he is implied, and existed in this universe, but has passed before the story begins). If anyone needs any clarification on who is who exactly/how everyone has been changed/etc etc feel free to leave a comment!
> 
> Fourth, how marriage works: alright, this is what I am most worried about. Because this story has (at least) 2 same-gender marriages, it is obvious that I will not be adhering to Regency England's idea of marriage (though most of the other expectations/manners are crucial to the storyline, so I have been forced to cobble this new marriage system together). Marriage essentially works as so: two people come together in union, where the person of higher rank keeps their surname/title/place in society/etc. (in general fulfilling what a man's role would be in this era) while the person of lower rank gives up their surname/any titles or rank they have/a dowry in order to become the pair to person they're marrying (or fulfilling a woman's role). If the pair is of the same rank, the "more powerful" of the relationship is granted the rank, aka (in this order) 1. the man (if the couple is of opposite sex), 2. the bender (if only one person is a bender), or 3. the more "dominant" of the two as agreed upon by the parents of the couple (usually whoever is more masculine). TL;DR: patriarchal society? Yes. Enforced gender roles? Kind of. Biphobia? Just a smidge. But homophobia? Not in my fanfic.
> 
> And with that, I think that's it! Again, all feedback is encouraged and I hope you enjoy!


	2. He's Half in Love With Her Already

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Merton Assembly, while not a grand affair, is a wonderful occasion to be introduced to new faces. Alternatively, Enter: The Bingleys, the Hursts, and Mr. Darcy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another part, before the month ends, no less! Fair warning, I am awful with keeping a schedule for updating fics, and with the newest season of The Umbrella Academy about to drop I fear that the next part may take a little longer to write. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

The ball at the Assembly Rooms was not a unique occasion for the gentility surrounding Meryton, but it was an enjoyable event nonetheless. The day of, naturally, was one of chaos in Longbourn House, as (most) were eager for the ball to take place and could think of little else. There were not enough residents within the house to be as chaotic as it had the potential to be, but that was not for lack of trying.

“Sokka,” Katara knocked on the doorframe of Sokka’s room, already mostly ready but looking nervous nonetheless, “Would you mind helping me with my hair? I need to practice my waterbending but I don’t have enough hands for it all. And no, the servants can’t help me, Ty Lee is hogging anyone and everyone."

Sokka, who was struggling to pull his silk stockings over his thicker wool pair, struggled a little longer before replying, “Fine, I’ll help you. Give me a moment.”

Katara nodded and returned to her own room, again taking a seat at her vanity. She took a breath to calm herself--she really had been allowing Ty Lee’s naive optimism to get the better of her nerves-- before beginning to bend water from the bowl placed in front of her. It wasn’t much of a display, and when she recreated it later she would be doing the motions with a lot more movement and water, but the practice nevertheless helped soothe her. She was so engrossed in the bending of water over her head, however, that she failed to notice Sokka’s entrance. He picked up her curls in both hands, preparing to twist them into the loose bun that Katara loved to wear but struggled to maintain.  
However, as his hands picked up the locks, Katara had just bent the water over her head, and gasped in shock at the sudden presence. In her shock, naturally, she lost her focus, and ended up soaking the majority of her hair and the sleeves of Sokka’s favourite dark blue coat.

“Agh--Katara!” Sokka dropped the hair in an instant, shaking his hands as if that would dislodge the water from his clothing.

“Sorry, Sokka. You startled me. Here--stop moving--” Katara carefully bent the water out of the clothing, a skill she had perfected almost as soon as she began bending. Sokka calmed down in his movements, but it was obvious the mistake had set off his temper yet again.

“You and your magic water--” Sokka grumbled, taking slow breaths himself as he returned to fixing his sister’s hair.

“It's not magic, Sokka. And thank you for helping me, truly,” Katara smiled at him through the mirror, caring nature attempting to soothe the situation. Sokka somehow found this even more chafing, but he kept quiet as Katara returned to her exercises. Eventually, he pinned everything just so and took the chosen ribbon off her vanity to finish the look. Katara would always adjust little things about the style before they actually left the room, but Sokka couldn’t help but feel an odd sense of pride as he pulled back and admired his handiwork. Well, until a giddy Ty Lee burst into the room and caused Katara to douse Sokka in water yet again.

“Gah! Oh, come on!” Sokka grumbled, now wiping at his face and hair, though anything he said was drowned out by Ty Lee’s rambling.

“Papa says the carriage is ready! Oh, Katara you look so lovely, I’m sure everyone there will ask you to dance! Maybe even Mr. Bingley will! I’m so excited to meet him, and to dance the night away, of course!” Ty Lee pulled Katara from her seat as she talked, leading her siblings out towards the carriage, “Do you think Jet will be there? He promised me the first dance with him at the next ball, you know. Though I think he hasn’t gotten over you, Katara, but he is ever so attractive and such a good dancer! Ooh, what if Mr. Bingley brings attractive friends with him? There might be partners for us all!”

Her ramble seemed to last ages, and she managed to continue talking all the way until they arrived at their destination, gushing about one thing or another in rapid succession. Though she often got on Sokka’s nerves with such rambling, he had to admit she had a certain skill to talk for ages about nothing at all, something apparently highly valued within this society. Once they arrived at the assembly, however, Ty Lee thankfully found herself too overwhelmed with giggles and wonderment to ramble any further. Walking behind his father and grandmother, Sokka once again took his sisters’ arms and properly escorted them into the assembly rooms. 

Upon entering the packed space, Sokka had a moment where he shared Ty Lee’s awe, as people of all dispositions and decorations fluttered about: peacefully eating in the dining hall, gossiping over candlelight in the game room, dancing as a mass of movement in the dance hall, admiring bending skills in the demonstration hall, and talking in scattered groups all amongst them. Sokka knew most, if not all of the people present, of course, but there was a certain beauty in it all. A beauty he quickly got over as Ty Lee pulled them all towards the dance hall.

“I swear, she becomes more excitable everyday,” Katara remarked to Sokka under her breath, though her smile was wholesome. Sokka refrained from snorting in response, instead opting to politely chuckle at the remark.

“I know you two are making fun of me, but can you blame me for being excited?” Ty Lee called behind her, loud enough to carry over the music produced by a quartet at one end of the room. The group was in the middle of a song, so the siblings were forced to wait on the side and sip their drinks in wait.

“Mr. Bennet, Miss Bennet, Miss Ty Lee,” the ever-persistent Jet, of little name and consequence (how he even got invited to such events was a mystery to most), made himself known with a slight bow to the group. Katara and Sokka did not deem him worthy of a verbal response, after his schemes to run off and elope with Katara when she was only sixteen had been made known, but his mere presence caused Ty Lee to start up all over again.

“Jet! How nice it is to see you!” Ty Lee seemed ready to begin her rambling again, but thankfully Katara cut her off.

“Is it true you promised my sister a dance?”

Jet smirked, bowing his head slightly, “Indeed I did, Miss Bennet, if she will have me.” As if on cue, the current song and dance ended, with everyone applauding politely. Before the group could even begin to clear the dance floor, Ty Lee had taken hold of Jet’s arm and pulled him away to dance the next tune.

“How can she stand him? After all he did?” Sokka wondered aloud, nursing his drink slightly.

“I recall her thinking that his actions were romantic instead of ruinous.” Katara replied in a flat tone, “She was only twelve at the time, we cannot blame her for not being completely aware yet.” Sokka hummed in response, allowing his eyes to remain on his younger sister’s dancing and giggling form-- even if Ty Lee was innocent in her actions, he couldn’t help but feel protective over her.

“Katara! Sokka! I’m glad to see you,” Yue greeted them, nodding slightly to her friends before joining them, “Is Ty Lee off dancing already?”

“She was off dancing the second we arrived,” Sokka muttered, earning a slight giggle that sounded much more pleasant coming from Yue than from anyone else. It's unfortunate she followed the giggle up with a slight cough, but such things were unavoidable.

“Have you heard anything about the newcomers? Gran Gran first told us of them the other day and Ty Lee has only talked of the elusive Mr. Bingley since.” Katara changed the topic, eyes finally straying away from where Ty Lee was making a fool of herself.

“They haven’t arrived yet, as far as I’ve heard.” Yue supplied, taking a drink to try and calm her throat.

“If he’s one of the strange men I saw the other day in town, he’ll be hard to miss. One of them was dressed in bright yellow and had bright blue tattoos like I had never seen, and the other was dressed very richly but had a giant burn mark across his visage. They were quite a sight.” Sokka couldn’t help but gossip, the two girls hanging on to his every word.

“...And you’ve been keeping this information to yourself?” Katara eventually said with a raised eyebrow.

Sokka shrugged slightly, “I can neither confirm nor deny if it’s actually them, and I couldn’t bear to hear Ty Lee’s rants about scars or tattoos or any such topic. Can you blame me?” Even more giggles from Yue and Sokka was properly smiling, with Katara rolling her eyes at her brother’s antics. They conversed about nothing in particular throughout the next song and dance, but before the end of the third a commotion began from the direction of the entrance. The trio broke off whatever it was they were discussing to turn towards the source of it, each taken aback by the group of men that the silence and whispered commotion followed.

At the front of the group were two men who looked so similar that they simply had to be brothers, and led each other with proper distance between them to confirm it. The taller of the two was the tattooed man Sokka had seen in the square, who beamed at the entire room as if oblivious to the commotion. The younger man at his arm was very similar in appearance, though smaller overall, smirking instead of beaming, and had no such tattoos to flaunt (this did not save his hair from being atrocious, however). Behind these brothers was a married couple, with the bigger of the two men sharing similar features and identical tattoos to the first man described, though he was older and broader in appearance. His husband, the first in the group to not look related, was a disaffected sort of fellow, dressed in earth tones that horribly clashed with the three siblings’ colorful hues of red, yellow, and orange, though he did not seem to care about such appearances. 

At the end of the group, though he looked the highest rank out of the entire quintet, strode the scarred man Sokka had seen previously, who was dressed in a maroon coat that seemed to enhance the burn across his face, somehow making it look like an intentional fashion statement rather than an injury. Sokka briefly met the scarred man’s eyes, which seemed to be golden in color, an unknown feeling rising in his chest as the man quickly looked away.

“Is that them? The people you saw?” Yue asked Sokka under her breath as many around them gossiped at the same volume.

“The first man with the tattoos and the last man, yes. The other three I haven’t seen before. Which do you think is Bingley?” Sokka said back in the same low tones.

“The one who is beaming, and seemed to bring his whole family. I would bet it's him.” Yue responded in turn, and Sokka was inclined to agree: after all, it made no sense for the scarred man to be Bingley and to be the last in the procession, the couple would have rented Netherfield as a set, and the remaining man looked too young and held his arm just so as to announce his more dependent role, meaning it is unlikely he branched out on his own to rent the place. The mysterious group eventually came to a halt at the end of the dance hall opposite the band, obviously awaiting the master of ceremonies to properly greet and introduce them. The master of ceremonies--in this case, Sir Lucas, Yue’s father-- barely has time to approach the group before Gran Gran suddenly appears beside the trio, with Hakoda in tow. She’s eager to be introduced, as she had been ever since she heard of the newcomers, though thankfully Hakoda’s level head keeps the group rooted firmly in place until Sir Lucas nods at him to approach.

“Mr. Bingley, may I introduce Mr. Bennet and his family, who reside at Longbourn House not too far from Netherfield,” Sir Lucas asked the grinning, tattooed man, confirming Sokka and Yue’s suspicions.

“It's-- an honor to meet you all,” The man said, bowing at the family as they did the same towards him.

“Mr. Bingley, this is my mother, Mrs. Bennet, and my two eldest children, Miss and Mr. Bennet. My youngest, Miss Ty Lee, is assumed to be dancing already.” Hakoda made the proper introductions, with the man smiling at each of them in turn. He seemed to linger on Katara for a moment before the younger man at his side nudged him to get his attention.

“Oh, right! This is my younger brother, Mr. Momo Bennet. These are my brother and brother-in-law, Messrs. Hurst, and there is my friend Mr. Darcy.” 

Everyone took their proper bow, with the Messrs. Hurst looking vaguely unimpressed and Mr. Darcy’s expression the most sour of them all. Sokka felt the man’s gaze upon him again, and the odd feeling returned in the pit of his stomach. After a moment of observation, Sokka could only conclude this was a new manifestation of his temper, as the man looked so uncomfortable in his surroundings that Sokka was sure he must be very haughty indeed, a trait that Sokka most despises.

“Do you bend, Mr. Bingley?” Gran Gran asked with a polite smile to begin the conversation.

“Absolutely!” Mr. Bingley said much too loud, only quieting with his brother’s disapproving look, “I mean, yes, I am an avatar bender. Though air is my natural element, which my elder brother also commands. Hence the tattoos, it’s a marking of our mastery.”

“Oh, how unique.” Gran Gran was audibly unimpressed with the mentioning of the tattoos. It now made sense why Sokka had never seen such markings— in the medieval period, airbenders were seen as bad fortune as they were people who despised settling down in one place for generations, as the other benders did. Their constant movement meant they never built trust at any one location, and once the plague hit the more superstitious of the peasants took to blaming the air nomads and all but banished them from the kingdoms. Airbenders thrived elsewhere and survived the mistreatment, but that meant any airbenders in Great Britain were often foreigners who still spurned harsh judgement wherever they went. An avatar bender was considered a great honor and granted one a high rank in society, but one with air as their natural element was decidedly less esteemed.

The entire company noticed the awkward lull in conversation, with Mr. Bingley running an unsure hair through his odd hair (which again made more sense at the revelation— old air bending customs required men to shave their head, though the practice looked to be recently abandoned). Sir Lucas, thankfully, soothed the unease as was his duty.  
“Miss Bennet is a superior waterbender, perhaps she shall demonstrate at some point tonight?” 

Katara’s face flushed slightly at the praise, as was only natural, “You flatter me, sir. But I am not opposed to demonstration, if Mr. Bingley agrees to demonstrate as well.”

Mr. Bingley seemed thrilled she even knew his name, eyes twinkling in merriment as he quickly nodded, “I’d love to! When is it customary to demonstrate in this circumstance?” He asked slightly awkwardly, though thankfully his personality was such that no one seemed to mind. Well, except for Mr. Darcy, who obviously bristled at the question. Sokka was wondering if his unpleasantness was a natural trait.

“You can demonstrate at any time, sir, I just prefer to get settled in first.” Katara’s smile was genuine, and Sokka instantly felt a surge of protectiveness overwhelm him. 

“In which case, would you-- I mean, may I have the honour of your first two dances?” Mr. Bingley seemed too young for Katara’s attention, even as he rented properties and commanded such respect, so Sokka forced himself to calm down. 

“You may,” Katara said with a smile, though hers was clearly outshone by the pure joy Mr. Bingley exuded.

“And your brothers and friend, do they dance? I’m sure this must all be very foreign from what you’re used to,” Gran Gran said with a smile, despite the rude edge to her words. Sokka and Katara stared at her, but she held firm and none of the Bingleys took much offense.

“What, dancing? I love dancing! I don’t think Appa or Hurst will want to dance much, but maybe..?” He glanced between his younger brother and friend, who were colder in response.

“I think I’m going to see what they’re serving for a meal here, would you care to accompany me, Darcy?” Mr. Momo Bingley readied his arm to accept before Darcy had even spoken to accept, looking much more offended than his brother at Mrs. Bennet’s words.

“I’m sure you can find the room on your own, Momo. Perhaps your elder brother may accompany you, I wish to survey the dance hall a little longer.” Was Mr. Darcy’s reply, voice higher and raspier than Sokka expected from such a man. The tone in itself seemed to suggest high breeding, and the flame of Sokka’s hatred for the man grew ever so slightly. Mr. Momo Bringley, in a similar fashion, pouted at the obvious dismissal but still accompanied the Hursts out of the ballroom. As they still had some time before the next dance, however, Gran Gran was determined to use every second to interview the young man before her.

“Have you been in the area long, Mr. Bingley?”And just like that, the conversation was meaningless and boring and not fit for Sokka’s attention. He tuned out of the conversation slightly, gaze turning out towards the rest of the crowd. Yue had found others to make conversation with in their absence, but was still facing such a direction that she and Sokka could make eye contact. She smiled at him slightly as she spoke about something he couldn’t hear, though he was unfortunately prevented from smiling back whenever he was forced back into the conversation.

“Sokka! Are you even listening?” Gran Gran snapped at him, Katara nudging him just seconds prior. He forced himself to clear his throat and turn his attention back to the conversation.

“I’m sorry, I must have gotten distracted.” Sokka didn’t like Mr. Bingley’s smile turned toward him, but he hated Mr. Darcy’s assessing glance even more.

“Mr. Bingley was asking if you had any interest in dancing tonight,” Katara filled him in as politely as she could, given the blunder.

“I--um--” Sokka was spared responding to the inadvertent question of his choice of partner (if he admitted to dancing, it would be customary for Mr. Bingley to ask him for a dance, and it was then he would have to announce his preference of sex--not that he had one) by the previous dance ending and the next beginning, causing Mr. Bingley and Katara to break away from the group to dance. His grandmother seemed ready to continue her line of questioning towards Mr. Darcy, but thankfully Hakoda had the sense to excuse them both and pull her away. Sokka made his excuses in the next breath, and scrambled to return to where Yue still resided.

“You’re going to seriously offend someone important one of these days, Sokka, if you keep daydreaming as you do.” Yue mocked him with no malice to speak of, pulling the thick shawl higher over her shoulders.

Sokka had to resist the urge to roll his eyes, “You can’t hear the conversation from here, then. Gran Gran was nearly interrogating the man, despite her obvious prejudice against air nomads. It was unbearable.”

“I could hear snippets, and anytime Mr. Darcy spoke I could hear him just fine, he has such a distinct voice, but I couldn’t hear the complete conversation. Was it really so awful? Katara seems to be enjoying herself.” Yue gestured out to the dancers, where Katara was giggling and Mr. Bingley looked particularly proud having caused it. 

“Oh sure, she is having a grand time because the avatar bender Mr. Bingley is already smitten with the pretty waterbender. I swear, if Katara had anymore of an ego the rest of us would never have a partner.” Sokka was admittedly bitter, despite how happy he felt seeing Katara enjoy herself for once. He only let himself express these sorts of hideous emotions--jealous over her bending, anger over his impossible situation-- around Yue, knowing she would never treat him the worse for it. He didn’t know what he would do without her.

“I know you don’t mean that, and that you’re happy to see Katara finally look at someone other than Jet.” Yue said softly, her tones angelic as per usual, “Would you rather play pai sho? Or perhaps a meal will soothe your temper.”

“No, no, we can observe the dances a while longer, I want to talk to Katara once she finishes dancing with Mr. Bingley anyway and we’ll be sure to lose her in the crowd if we leave now.” 

“My apologies, Mr. Darcy--” Came Sir Lucas’ voice floating over the crowd, though Sokka struggled to make out his full sentence, with Darcy’s nodded response allowing no opportunity of guessing. Sokka gave up the pursuit quickly, instead conversing with Yue easily as the songs came and went. Eventually, Mr. Bingley and Katara took a break and joined them.

“Oh how I love dancing!” Mr. Bingley proclaimed earning a soft giggle from Katara. Just upon seeing that, Sokka knew his sister simply must be smitten, or she would never encourage such manners otherwise. Sokka decided to question her in depth at a later time.

“Mr. Bingley, may I introduce my friend, Miss Lucas?” Sokka performed the introduction as a gentlemanly third party, both parties smiling at the new acquaintance.

“Do you dance, Miss Lucas? These songs are a little slow for my tastes, but are still as fun with the right partner,” The way Mr. Bingley’s gaze flitted from Yue to Sokka to Katara did not escape anyone’s perception, the implications being made clear.

“I am not much of a dancer, unfortunately. I have not the strength for the longer songs. And although Mr. Bennet does love a dance when he is asked, I am unfortunately not his right partner,” Yue practically shoved Sokka at Yue, earning a stifled laugh from Katara and a playful glare from Sokka.

“Ah, well in that case,” Mr. Bingley’s smile was softer, with genuine kindness displayed as if it were part of his very soul, “Mr. Bennet, may I have the next dance?”

Sokka felt the familiar panic overcome him--does a dance mean something? What if someone sees? What if someone actually notices? Can a dance determine one’s fate?--but prayed it stays seated deep in his chest rather than show on his face, “You may.”

And just like that, Mr. Bingley is pulling Sokka away from his sister and friend as the next song begins. The lines begin to form, with leading partners on one side and following partners on the other. Sokka is ready to resign to his fate and take the follower’s position, only to be stopped by Mr. Bingley’s voice.

“Do you have a preference? I can take that side, if you’d prefer.” Mr. Bingley asked softly, gesturing to the follower’s side. Sokka’s face heated up even more, if that was even possible, panic rising as another decision that could seal his fate was presented to him. He briefly caught Katara’s eye from over his shoulder, and some proud part of him couldn’t help but think that she didn’t deserve to see her potential suitor degraded, despite his own insecurities.

He took a breath, slipping his arm from Bingley’s, “Thank you for the offer, but it’s alright, I can follow. My family would be enraged if they saw me leading someone of a higher rank, anyway.” 

Bingley shrugged and resumed a more carefree expression as the dance began, “So are you going to apologise the entire time, like your sister did for the first dance? If so, I can assure you it’s alright.”

Sokka furrowed his brows as he kicked his foot outwards in time, encircling the neighboring partners, “What was she apologising for?”

“She continuously said your grandmother was out of line in her questioning, and apologised for it. Personally, I don’t think she was intentionally being rude, and that’s all that matters.”

Of course Katara apologised a million times for that, good on Katara. Sokka thought to himself as he wove between the other dancers, “I have to admit, I cannot stand the polite conversation that happens at these sorts of events, and so I didn’t hear enough of what my grandmother said to confirm or deny anything.”

Somehow, this elicited a laugh from Mr. Bingley, “Yes, I noticed you weren’t a fan of the talk. If you don’t mind me asking, why do you come to the assemblies, if you don’t like the talk and won’t dance unless asked?”

Sokka wondered where Bingley could have grown up where there was anything else to do besides attend every party in order to take a break from the monotonous day-to-day, but didn’t voice his question aloud, “It’s what’s expected of me. Besides, I occasionally do ask others to dance with me, I just haven't seen any partners to ask that I can be sure would accept me.”

“Why would you ask someone you know will accept? Does that not defeat the point of asking?”

“Why would I ask someone I don’t know will accept me, and risk the embarrassment that would bring myself and my family?” Sokka countered, though there was no confusion in his tone, only an edge of distaste.

Mr. Bingley quieted for a moment, then resumed the conversation at a lower volume, “You sound like Mr. Darcy in that aspect, Mr. Bennet, though him I can hardly convince to dance at all, and Lord knows he needs to loosen up.”

Sokka laughed at the joke before it occurred to him that laughing at the expense of the very rich Mr. Darcy may not be the best decision, relieved once he heard Bingley laugh along with him, “Are you not his preferred type of partner, or does he refuse to dance entirely, if I may ask?”

“If I ever figure out whichever way Darcy is inclined, I will be sure to let you know!” Bingley said through laughter, careful to silence himself as the dancing took them nearer to where Mr. Darcy stood watching.

Sokka watched the man as they circled closer, though the man now seemed determined to not make eye contact, “Why does he come to the assemblies, or stay predominantly within the ballroom for that matter, if he cannot bear dancing?” 

“I am puzzled on that account as well, as he usually flees the ballroom at the first occasion” Bingley gave a final bow, taking Sokka’s arm and leading him back to where he found him, “Perhaps someone has caught his attention.” Bingley joked again, and Sokka felt himself completely warmed to the man by the time they separated. They bowed again, as was polite, and parted ways completely as Bingley asked Katara for another dance and she readily agreed.

“So? What do you think of him?” Yue asked after a minute of contented silence.

Sokka watched Katara and Bingley dance, an odd feeling in his chest, something almost like pride, “He’s funny, actually. I didn’t expect that of him. His manners aren’t royalty status, but I can’t fault him for that, especially not with how kind he seems. Katara’s chosen well.”

“Not so well that this will be a point of contention, I hope?” Yue asked carefully, her gaze full of concern yet still somehow playful.

“No, no, they’re already too enamoured with one another for me to have any of those thoughts at all. She can have this one with no jealousy from me, I assure you.”

Yue smiled brightly, “Good. Now, would you mind accompanying me to get something to eat? All this standing and gossiping is tiring me, and I hope to at least see Katara’s demonstration before I retire for the night.”

Sokka nodded and held his arm out to escort her there, though she hadn’t the chance to take it before a certain raspy voice was heard clearly across the crowd, arguing with a recently-freed-from-dancing Bingley, with Katara nowhere to be seen. In sync as usual, both Sokka and Yue stopped to listen in to the conversation.

“--if you do not dance?”

“I do not feel like dancing, you can’t fault me for that. I don’t see any partners worthy of my attention.”

“None worthy of your attention? How about that young Mr. Bennet? He was perfectly amiable when I danced with him, and he has a certain handsomeness to him, does he not?” Sokka and Yue held their breaths and exchanged glances.

Sokka could practically hear the eye roll, though he could not see Darcy’s face directly, “A non-bender who so willingly follows? No, I could not be seen with him any closer than I have already been. I am afraid you caught the attention of the only worthy partner at the entire assembly, my friend.”

“Now, Zuko, must you be so rude?--” Bingley immediately made to tell his friend off, but Sokka was tired of this listening and pointedly avoided Yue’s concerned glances as they abandoned the ballroom entirely.

For the rest of the night, Sokka was determined to avoid Mr. Zuko Darcy at all costs. Yue was inclined to do the same, though that did not stop either of them from mocking his every word and movement. Thankfully, the assembly rooms were grand enough to provide ample distance between them. That was until Katara and Mr. Bingley decided to do their demonstrations, of course.

The servant at the door, an effective guard to prevent people from wondering inside whenever demonstrations were happening, lest anyone be injured, had the secondary job of announcing each bender ten, five, and one minute before the bender had agreed to perform. This gave Yue and Sokka (and Ty Lee, who had joined them only long enough to see Katara and Bingley’s demonstrations) enough time to grab a sofa at the front of the group, but was too much time for them to change seats without offense once Bingley and Darcy sat on the sofa directly beside them. Thankfully, Bingley took the seat closest to Sokka and seemed too enthralled at the idea of the demonstration to make any sort of conversation. 

Sokka had seen Katara’s waterbending a million times throughout his lifetime, as she showed prowess before he can even remember and had been learning the art since the age of five years old, as was customary for waterbenders (Earthbenders waited until seven, while firebenders began training as soon as they were able). Despite the familiarity, he never managed to stop being amazed and oh so proud of his sister at every demonstration. Her movements were graceful yet powerful, with fluid water moving as if naturally occurring midair and ice shifting in ways that were anything but natural. The best part of this demonstration however, in Sokka’s opinion, was the excited gasps and quiet reactions that came from the esteemed Mr. Bingley beside him--as if Sokka needed anything else to confirm the man’s adoration of Katara. It was oddly endearing, especially when Sokka and Bingley were forced to wordlessly compete in who could clap the loudest without being impolite (Sokka will maintain he won, especially considering Bingley was cut off as it was his turn to demonstrate next).

“You were wonderful, Katara,” Yue said as Katara approached them afterwards, earning an even larger smile from the waterbender.

“Yes, the water was cool, now sit down so I can watch the avatar bending!” Ty Lee dismissed her sister without intentional malice, though this did not stop Katara from playfully glaring at her younger sister as she moved to talk to the now standing Bingley, though he had not removed himself from his position in front of the sofa.

“That was spectacular! I’m not sure I should even attempt waterbending after such a display,” Bingley nearly gushed in excitement, coloring Katara’s face, “But of course, I shall have to try. Here, you can take my seat, I am sure Mr. Darcy will not mind. Besides, maybe you can convince him to demonstrate as well!” Bingley said the last sentence as if it were a conspiracy between the two of them, and not a statement that everyone in the vicinity could clearly hear. Mr. Darcy scowled at his friend, but shifted to allow Katara more room.

“Is it true you are a bender, Mr. Darcy? May I ask why you do not demonstrate?” Katara said as Bingley approached the center of the designated bending area-- a patch of dirt covered the flooring, with elaborate pitchers of water at all four corners.

Mr. Darcy turned away slightly, his left hand reaching towards his face, “I am a firebender who did not show any skill until late in childhood, and by the time I began truly training I had already experienced the negative effects. I know how to firebend, but it is not worthy of demonstration.”

“Oh, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to offend,” Katara assured him, trying to undo what she could now see as a rude misstep in conversation.

Darcy simply nodded, and thankfully Bingley’s demonstration started just in time to prevent any further awkward remarks.

Bingley, despite his natural cheerfulness and charisma, looked oddly unsure of himself as he began his demonstration. Sokka briefly wondered if he had ever done an actual demonstration before this point, as the dance-like quality of the art was somewhat lost, even as the power of each element was overwhelming. He displayed each individually--in what was considered the natural order of water, then earth, then fire, then his native air--before combining them all in a grand display of power, with flaming tendrils, water droplets, and earthen boulders encircled him, created different shapes, and often reached out and over the audience, which elicited many remarks of panic and awe alike. Eventually the servant inside of the room, who served a very similar role as the man outside of the doors, made the motion to end the show, and a polite yet genuine applause arose from the crowd assembled. Sokka, Yue, and Ty Lee were some of many who stood to leave the room, with Katara beginning to follow. They all took a seat in the dining hall, with Bingley and Darcy joining them soon after.

“Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, may I present my sister Miss Ty Lee Bennet?” Katara made the introduction, as Mr. Bingley had chosen to sit at her side and across from Ty Lee herself, who was practically buzzing in excitement.

“It--”

“Your bending was simply spectacular, Mr. Bingley!” Ty Lee interrupted, unable to restrain herself a moment longer, “Katara and Sokka said you were good, and of course Gran Gran already talked about you being an avatar bender, but actually seeing it was a sight to behold!”

“Oh, well,” Bingely seemed unable to handle such praise, eyes cast to the table in front of him as he stuttered a response, “Thank you, Miss Ty Lee. Are you a bender?”

Ty Lee giggled, a different sort of giggle that she aimed directly at any single man of no blood relation, a giggle that set off alarm bells in Sokka’s mind and assuredly set Katara’s teeth on edge, “No, Katara’s the only bender amongst us, I’m afraid. Though I’m known to be rather flexible--”

“Miss Lucas, are you feeling alright?” Katara took control of the situation at once, addressing the pale-haired girl across from her, “I’m sure Ty Lee can find you some water to drink if the wine does not agree with you.” No one at the table was oblivious to Katara’s intentions with the statement, but polite society meant no one was willing to call her on it--barring the young Ty Lee, who visibly pouted at the statement but was too nice of a girl to deny her friend such a service if Yue agreed with Katara.

“Thank you for your concern, Miss Bennet, but I think it is better that I retire for the evening,” Yue made to stand, and the men at the table scrambled to stand before her, “Would Miss Ty Lee be so amiable and escort me to find my father, perhaps?”

Ty Lee huffed slightly, but smiled and stood, taking Yue’s arm, “Of course. It was lovely to meet both of you,” she gave one last flutter of her eyelashes to the gentlemen, and then she was away.

“I apologise for my sister, she is still young and does not always act appropriately, despite her knowing better,” Katara was quick to address the situation, though with her new attention Bingley’s smile was back to its usual brightness. He and Katara began talking about something or another--Sokka couldn’t find the willpower to pay much attention-- and Sokka felt his eyes wander to the crowd again. By the time he realised he probably should be listening to the man obviously capturing the attention of his beloved sister, his eyes snapped back to the table only to find them standing to leave. He and Darcy stood with Katara, though neither sat back down after their absence, as it suddenly felt too intimate for a man he barely knew and was fairly sure he didn’t like.

Sokka was about to make an excuse to slip away whenever Mr. Darcy addressed him directly, “You stare a lot, you know.”

He was rightfully taken aback, though Darcy scrambled to continue his own statement, “Not in any such unpleasant way, I meant only that you seem to rarely focus on any conversation before you.”

“Ah, sorry to have not paid as much attention as you believe I should have, Mr. Darcy. I shall have to try better next time. If you’ll excuse me,” Sokka pulled himself away and deep into the crowd, cursing his entire existence all the way. If he had bothered to look back, he would have seen Darcy in a rare moment of emotion, where he pinched the bridge of his nose and lets out a puff of smoke in frustration at his own social blunder. But Sokka does not turn around, and instead spends the rest of the assembly staying as far away from Mr. Darcy as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it wasn't clear, Mr. Hurst's first name is Bosco, aka the Earth King's Bear. Whenever I was initially debating how to do the Bingley sisters, I found it difficult to think of anyone who could be Aang's siblings besides Appa and Momo, so Appa was matched with Mrs. Lousia Hurst (sister to Mr. and Miss Bingley, married to the card/food/drink-loving Mr. Hurst) and Momo was matched with Miss Caroline Bingley. I also took to twitter (come follow me over at @ fandominating ! though, as a warning, i'm temporarily on private due to personal reasons) to help me decide if I should make Appa/Momo/Mr. Hurst female to help with differentiating them, but everyone was in agreement that 1. Appa and Momo should be masculine and 2. Appa is gay. Hopefully I was able to differentiate the characters well, as that may become even more confusing in later chapters. Anyway, please leave feedback and I hope you enjoyed!


	3. You've Liked Many a Stupider Person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Assembly rooms, it is safe to say that Katara has many emotions to try and process surrounding a certain Mr. Bingley. Said emotions become even more prominent as she is invited to dine at Netherfield Park, though Sokka's eyes see her beloved Aang surrounded by such detestable people that he wonders how Katara--or he--is to ever stand such company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and feedback so far! And ESPECIALLY a huge shoutout to Sophie, aka @thepoormediocreartist over on instagram, for sharing the art included at the beginning of this chapter! To clarify, the artwork wasn't done specifically for this fic (our boys have a while to go before they can have such lovely scenes, unfortunately) but they reached out to me and now I get the honor of showing off the art!! Anyway, please enjoy both the art and today's chapter!

(Again, all credit goes to @ thepoormediocreartist over on insta and I highly reccomend checking them out! Anyway, onto the story!)

~~

The Bennet Family was finally wrangled into their carriage and on their way home, though it was so well into the night it was almost morning. Each had drunk their fair share, though none were the types to be belligerent. Hakoda, who perhaps had the least to drink, was already suffering in that the rest of the carriage had had that much more. Kanna was asleep on her son’s shoulder, though she was constantly being jostled awake by Ty Lee’s attempt at singing whatever tune popped into her head. Katara stared out of one side’s window in a haze of romantic inclinations, while Sokka pressed his head against the other side’s in a haze of vague frustration. By the time they returned to Longbourn, Ty Lee had fallen asleep on Hakoda's left shoulder with Kanna snoring on his right. Sokka and Katara wouldn’t remember the soft smile that remained on Hakoda’s features as he assisted everyone to bed, but even if they did, they knew better than to mock the man’s innate kindness that he so often struggled to express.

Naturally, the morning after the assembly was one of the rare quiet occasions in Longbourn House, as everyone bar Hakoda decided to take breakfast in their own rooms. Well, they at least received their breakfast in their own rooms.

Sokka was sitting at his desk eating, back to the door, when Katara quietly slipped in, careful to clear her throat to announce her presence. The siblings shared a smile as Katara sat herself down at the nearby window, breakfast tray in front of her. This was not an unusual occurrence, and both found comfort in simply knowing the other person was close. They ate for a minute in silence before Katara forced herself to speak.

“So. . . may I ask you a question?”

Sokka raised an eyebrow around a mouthful of bacon, but nodded.

“What is your opinion of Mr. Bingley?” She said with her usual confidence though her eyes told of an unsureness, as if she half expected Sokka to belittle the man out of her favor.

Sokka made sure to swallow and face Katara properly, a smirk playing across his features, “My opinion as your respectable brother or my opinion as your close friend?”

Katara smiled slightly in return, “One of these days, I hope those opinions will be one and the same, Sokka.”

“Well, today is not that day. As your respectable,” he said the word as if it in itself was a joke, though both knew he was serious, “brother, I think his fortune and high rank does him well, though his lack of proper manners leave something to be desired.”

Katara nodded, though tilted her head to ask, “And as my close friend?”

“First of all, he’s very attractive when you get over how over-the-top he is,” Sokka grinned as Katara laughed at him, “Second of all, he seems to be the most amiable of his group. Thirdly,” Sokka softened his voice, “he was nothing but kind in every interaction, and I think the both of you make an excellent pair. Is that more what you wanted to hear?”

Katara nodded again, sipping her tea as her shoulders relaxed in relief.

Sokka turned back to his breakfast, though he continued talking, “But you ought to tell me now how you feel about him, otherwise I may swoop in and take him all for myself.”

“Oh please, you won’t marry anyone you’re not deeply in love with, fortune or not.” Katara jests back, “And. . . I’m not sure about him.”

“Not sure? Think he’ll be like Jet and just write too much awful poetry while scheming behind your back?”

“No! He’s nothing like Jet, I know that,” Katara sighs into her hands, “It's just-- do you really believe he liked me, Sokka? That I wasn’t just some waterbending girl with a pretty face to him?”

“Katara, he danced with you most of the night and stared at you or talked about you for the rest of it. You should have heard him during our dance, the first thing he did was talk about you.”

“Well of course he did Sokka, what else did he have to remark on?” Katara had finished her breakfast and shifted the tray so thank she was curled up entirely on the window seat.

“Let me think, he could have talked of the weather or the area or hunting or sports or the music or--”

“Yes, yes, I get it,” Katara’s suspicious look had not yet left her face, though her smile looked about to return, “What did he say about me?”

Sokka took a moment to finish his own breakfast, “Oh, just about how you apologised profusely for Gran Gran’s rudeness and that I didn’t need to do the same.”

Katara hid her face in her hands as embarrassment crept over her, “I knew I was overdoing that, but she was just so rude! We are already below him in rank, I didn’t want him to think--"

“So you would agree that you particularly care about what he thinks of our family?” Sokka’s right eyebrow had taken residence farther up his face than his left by this point in the conversation, the corner of his mouth dragging upwards with it.

“Oh I care about everyone’s opinion of us, that’s not proof of anything,” Katara protested, “He’s a good person, and I didn’t want Gran Gran’s abrasiveness to drive him out of the county.”

“While I normally would say you believe the goodness in everyone too readily, it seems your heart is more guarded with him than the rest. I wonder why that is,” Sokka took a sip of his tea, though he left his sister no time to respond, “But, truly, I say you are allowed to like him a great deal. You’ve liked many a stupider person--”

“Will you stop bringing him up?”

“--And I think Mr. Bingley might one day deserve you. Though how he keeps such company with his cheerful persona, I do not understand."

“You talk of Mr. Darcy? I cannot believe what he said about you! Mocking you for following when it was only polite--”

“Even Mr. Darcy’s brooding could not sweeten my image of him, I’m afraid, after that comment. But no matter, I doubt we shall ever speak again anyway.” Sokka brushed off the matter entirely, trying to play indifferent rather than show how the comment had plagued him so the previous night-- if superior men are disgusted by him, is he even free to choose? What if he can never fulfill what he is meant to?

Katara seemed to know anyway, despite Sokka’s fortified facade-- and reached out to grip his shoulder in comfort, “You know--”

A knock sounded in the hall, though it was rapped upon Katara’s room’s door. Katara smiled at Sokka in earnest before standing to meet whoever was looking for her. It turned out to be a servant girl, with a letter from Netherfield Hall. The poor girl said the address loud enough to alert the whole house it seemed, as soon enough the entire family was being ushered into the dining hall for an early second meal, so that Katara may share the letter’s contents with every Bennet available.

“Come along Sokka! Come along, girls!” Gran Gran pushed them all towards their seats and readily took her own. Hakoda, who had been peacefully reading the newspaper after breakfast, barely even looked up at the commotion.

“Well? What does it say? Is it from Mr. Bingley?” Ty Lee urged, somehow already recovered from her hangover.

Katara covered her smile with her unused hand, though spoke clearly, “It is from the younger Mr. Bingley and the Messrs. Hurst. They invite me to dine with them this evening. . . But the elder Mr. Bingley will be dining out with the officers in town.”

“Officers?” Ty Lee somehow perked up even more at the word, and Sokka suddenly wished there was a servant nearby with wine ready.

“Dining out?” Gran Gran frowned, focusing on different matters entirely as she read the note herself, “That is unfortunate.”

“Gran Gran, may I take the carriage?” Katara snapped perhaps too harshly, though she was also brought to life by such events.

“Nonsense. Your father cannot spare the horses, and it is sure to rain.” Kanna’s eyes now strayed to the windows looking outwards towards grey skies.

“Yes, and if it rains I would prefer to be in the coach. Father, surely you can spare one more horse?” Katara turned her pleas over to the man who had yet to set down the newspaper, though he surely must have finished reading it by now.

He glanced between his mother and eldest daughter for a moment before returning to his paper, “I’m afraid to say the horses are needed on the farm as often as I can get them. You will do as your grandmother says.”

“I’ll be soaked through before I make it to Netherfield.” Katara said with enough force to show her anger, but not enough to show disrespect.

“If so, then they may insist on you staying even longer, and then you may encounter your Mr. Bingley after all.” Kanna’s smirk was most similar to Sokka’s, though it was decidedly hers in the usage.

“Oh! If it rains too hard, you might even get sick, and then they’ll have to keep you for days upon days, and then he may fall in love with you!” Ty Lee exclaimed the plans which had only been implied up to this point, as if this were some grand romantic scheme. Katara gave her sister an unhappy look, fiddling slightly with the note that had now been returned to her.

Sokka rolled his eyes at both of his sisters and turned to comfort the eldest, “Katara, even if it rains as hard as you all suspect it will, may I remind you that you are a waterbender and therefore need not get wet at all?”

“Sokka! I forbid you from speaking further on the subject.” Gran Gran said hotly, obviously ruffled with the exploitation of her schemes.

“Yes, Sokka, you must stop talking now, for if you keep foiling your grandmother’s plans, Katara may stay perfectly healthy and sane!” Hakoda mocked the entire situation from his seat, and it was only now that Sokka realized that the paper was less of a reading material and more of a shield.

~~

Katara eventually set off on horseback, with her hands already splayed outwards to catch the droplets of rain. When she did not return that night, Sokka and Ty Lee did their best to distract themselves so as to not worry themselves too much. Thankfully, a note addressed to Sokka arrived the next morning informing them all that Katara, in attempting to keep herself dry, had managed to overexert herself quite awfully and had caught a cold as a result and needed to stay there to recover from it at Mr. Bingley’s insistence. While the rest of the family was settled with these outcomes, Sokka found himself constantly on-edge, and decided to go to Netherfield to care for her the next day.

“Sokka, people do not die from colds, she will be fine!” Gran Gran had tried to keep him, but he pulled on his boots and ignored her entirely.

“But, Sokka, if you’re gone too you’ll miss the dinner that the Lucases are throwing for the officers! Katara’s found her beau, we still need to find ours--” Ty Lee had tried a different strategy, but Sokka only took a moment’s pause.

“Would you be comfortable, left to recover your strength in a strange house where you only knew one person well enough to be called an acquaintance?"

Ty Lee fidgeted with her hands, “No, I suppose not. But still, Gran Gran insists that she’ll be okay."

Sokka returned to getting ready, going to pull up his hair just as it began drizzling outside. He huffed and shoved the ribbon in his pocket instead, “She will be fine. I will just not be content until I am told that by Katara herself. I’m sure you can handle the officers on your own, Ty Lee. You’ll have to tell Katara and I all about it once we’ve returned.” Ty Lee, satisfied with her new mission and now assured she could do no more to keep Sokka at her side, let him pass.

Hakoda had no such qualms about Sokka’s departure for Netherfield, so with that the young Mr. Bennet began the three mile walk. The skies were a bright grey, with each moment alternating between light rain and brisk wind. Sokka was aware that neglecting to wear a hat and overall dressing down could become insufferable when brought to the attention of the residents of Netherfield, but he recalled Mr. Bingley’s appearance in the marketplace and assumes he would be forgiven by him. The crisp air on his face and his comfort in walking was worth the disapproval of the rest of them anyway. And if he took extra care to splash through the puddles, how he’s always loved to since he was a kid? No one’s business but his own.

Despite his request to see his sister, he was taken to be introduced to the masters of the house first. As Mr. Bingley had yet to return from an excursion into town, this meant Sokka was instead shown to a casual parlour where the rest of Netherfield’s residents were enjoying a late breakfast. Sokka, increasingly aware of how damp his entire person was (especially as his hair stuck to his collar and his boots squeaked on the hard floors), bowed to the group awkwardly.

“Look at the state of you-- did you walk here, Mister Bennet?” Mr. Momo Bingley said with such disgust in his voice that it took Sokka a moment to collect himself.

“Indeed I did.” Sokka felt the air grow tense, with the present Bingleys eyeing him as if he had personally offended them, while Mr. Darcy gave Sokka a look unlike anything he’d ever seen, and the natural Mr. Hurst continued eating. When no one spoke, Sokka took it upon himself to speak up again, ringing his hair in his worry, “Excuse my manners, but how is my sister?"

“She’s quite exhausted, poor thing, though the doctor said she should be recovered before the end of the week. Aang is escorting the doctor back into town presently.” Mr. Momo Bingley spoke as if Katara were a child to be cared for, despite Sokka being convinced the man was younger than her.

“Bending so much water over such a time, it was only natural for her to be so exhausted. Women aren’t built for such feats, you know, it is better for them to only learn enough for short demonstrations, lest they risk injury.” Mr. Appa Hurst said this remark so casually that Sokka was sure the steam would start from his ears at any moment, despite his struggles to stay proper--how dare they talk about his beloved sister in such a manner? Had no one any respect?

“I am sure the harsh weather was not helpful to her plight. She is upstairs if you would like to see her,” Mr. Darcy cut off all further conversation with this remark, and Sokka found himself glad to be ushered from the room, the voices of the Bingley brothers haunting his escape.

“--Did you see his clothes? He’s practically ruined--"

“--And his hair!--”

“--Such country manners, medieval--”

Upon entering Katara’s temporary lodgings, Sokka felt all of his worries validated. She was unnaturally pale, and had taken down her usually elaborate hair to take the strain off her head, the dark curls making her look even more deathly. Sokka pressed his hand to her face to search for a fever, and was even more alarmed upon finding one. He picked up the cloth that had fallen from her face, re-wetted it, and held it to her forehead. She stirred in her sleep, but did not wake.

A soft knock sounded at the door as it was opened to reveal Mr. Bingley who whispered, “Ah, Mr. Bennet, they said you were here. Is she still asleep?"

Katara stirred at the noise, but Sokka did not remove himself from the room to continue the conversation, “She is, and her fever is still palpable. What did the apothecary say?”

Mr. Bingley closed the door as quietly as he could behind him, “Just that she had exhausted herself and had caught a slight cold since but that she should make a quick recovery. Her fever seemed to be on the decline as he left, as well.” Even the assured words could not hide the worry in his eyes, and Sokka once again felt himself grateful to the man.

“If it is alright, I would greatly appreciate it if I could stay and care for her while she recovers. I have all faith in your choice of doctor, but I have never seen her in such a state and worry about her. If not, I understand--”

“No of course!” He said slightly too loud, causing Katara to grimace before turning on her side. He quieted, “I shall have the adjacent rooms prepared for you, just in case she needs to rest another night or few. And I can send the servants to fetch you clothes after dinner, if that be the case. We will be dining at 2 and again at half past 6, if you feel she is well enough to be left alone. I should leave you to it.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bingley, for all you’ve done for her.” Sokka made sure to say before the other man left. His bright smile returned, though he simply bowed in response before leaving.

Katara stirred from her slumber nearing noon, as her fever continued to decline. Sokka smiled and waited for her to recognise her surroundings.

When she finally noticed him she smiled and reached up to grab at his hand in place of a more affectionate greeting, “I never asked you to come, you know.”

“Is that how you thank me? I have been tending to you for hours now, Miss Katara,” Sokka jested back, rewetting the cloth once again.

“Thank you, Sokka.” Katara said genuinely, “Is there any fresh water to drink?”

“Can’t you just bend the impurities out?” Sokka joked, but he stood to ask the servant in the hall regardless.

Katara sat up well enough on her own, though her color had not yet returned, “Did Gran Gran yell at you for coming?”

“Yelling is a little over-exaggerated,” Sokka smirked as he returned to his seat on the edge of the bed, “Ty Lee had more of an issue with my going, actually. Our family has been invited to a dinner with the local militia at the Lucases’, but I wrote to Yue about your condition so we have been excused from the event.”

“I take it Ty Lee wanted you there so that she might have someone to gossip with over the officers?”

“Ty Lee? A gossip and a flirt? You’ll wound our family’s reputation with such slander, Katara.”

Eventually Katara was able to get some food and drink, becoming more animated but still just fundamentally exhausted. Sokka convinced her to rest there at least one more night, for she really did not look well, but she was determined to be home instead. After sharing another meal with Katara and coaxing her to go back to sleep at the ripe hour of 7pm, Sokka decided to brave the company and ventured outside of the room. He eventually found the entire group in the drawing-room, as everyone was sitting around a small table playing cards. Sokka smiled at them, but was far too mentally drained for any attempt at games. He settled onto the nearby chaise with a book plucked from the shelves at random, much to Mr. Hurst’s disapproval.

“Do you prefer reading to cards?” He spoke in an odd tone, and it occurred to Sokka he had yet to hear the stocky man speak.

Mr. Momo Bingley came in with a playful smirk before Sokka could defend himself, “Mr. Bennet despises cards, and only takes pleasure in reading. A thrilling existence, indeed.” Sokka recognised the bait and, determined not to make a fool of himself stayed quiet. However, the chatter at the table prevented him from focusing on the book in his hands, and so it was quickly abandoned. He decided to station himself between Mr. Bingley and his elder brother and simply observe the game instead.

“And how is your sister, Mr. Darcy? Has she grown since the spring?” Mr. Appa Hurst asked politely in turn with the conversation.

“She has, though she is not Miss Bennet’s height.” Mr. Darcy shuffled the cards in his hands, “My mother was not ever Miss Bennet’s height, so I don’t believe she has much growing left.”

“I long to see her again! Her sense of humor is-- unique,” Mr. Momo Bingley supplied, though his smile was obviously forced.

“And her bending, a true prodigy! I’ve never seen anything like it! It astonishes me how many young ladies can be so accomplished.” Mr. Aang Bingley contributed, playing his card without much confidence in it.

“Aang, whatever do you mean? Young Miss Darcy is an outlier, not a standard, for all young women to aspire to-- I’ve never seen a young lady so accomplished!”

“Well, ladies are always doing so many things! Bending is not inherently feminine, but sewing and singing and suchlike are all accomplishments in their own right.” Sokka wasn’t sure exactly who Aang was defending with such a remark, and was even more confused as to why everyone seemed to be in such disagreement.

“These accomplishments are worthy, but it is rare that a young woman excels in such matters, let alone enough of them to be considered truly accomplished.” Mr. Darcy again kept his eyes on his cards, even as he made such remarks.

Sokka could no longer bear such comments-- it is one thing for the Bingleys, who may very well have no close female acquaintances--to make such ignorant remarks, but upon hearing it from a man who had a younger sister himself he felt his patience crumble, “You speak as if women have no ideas of their own, and can only be valued by such skills that we otherwise deem irrelevant or childish. It is an injustice to the entire sex.”

The entire table gaped at him as if he’d challenged Darcy to a duel on the spot. And perhaps he almost had, in disagreeing with him so severely despite the difference in circumstance. Nevertheless, Sokka held his head high.

Mr. Appa Hurst was the first to respond with words, though his youngest brother scoffed first to break the silence, “I dare say none of us have said something so demeaning, Mr. Bennet. We were celebrating ladies in their charms, is that not something you are interested in discussing?”

Again, the bait was obvious: though Mr. Appa Hurst was proven to be of a less than entirely masculine disposition as a man who had taken another man's name in marriage, it was never something talked about in polite society. One married who they married, and the only gossiping about an individual’s tastes was meant to stay between close acquaintances behind closed doors. But implications-- those could be said at any time, as long as the one doing the implying refrained from explicit language and aimed it at an individual rather than a group. The entire party was aware of this, and so everyone waited with baited breath for Sokka to respond.

Sokka took a breath to calm himself, “While I am perfectly comfortable discussing the merits of ladies, Mr. Hurst, I must admit that I believe they deserve more credit than this conversation has granted them. Partially because I am so close to my dear sisters, who are both people in their own right despite not being considered ‘truly accomplished’, but also because I believe any and all unrelated women also deserve respect.”

Mr. Momo Bingley’s smile was nearing a sneer as he responded in a teasing voice, “I am surprised you care for both your sisters as much as only one is biological, from what I understand. Perhaps it is the younger Miss Bennet you more deeply care for?”

Sokka, truly enraged but unable to show it in proper company, stood so quickly he nearly knocked over his seat, “If you’ll excuse me, I am going to check on my sister.”

“--quite an outburst--”

“--as if he thinks defending girls will endear him--”

“--who would he be trying to impress here?--”

By the next morning, after Katara had slept through the night, it was determined that she was well enough to travel. A note from Gran Gran assured them both that, if Katara was feeling the least bit unwell, it would be better to stay there to recover (she used the guise of Katara’s illness potentially being the death of her, but both siblings knew that their grandmother was as healthy as any of them). They wrote back to tell her so, and to more insistently request the carriage be sent.

As they waited for a response, the siblings dined with the residents of Netherfield, all of whom were much more civil with Katara in their company, Sokka noticed. Mr. Aang Bingley was much more foolish, as well, but that seemed only reasonable for how he seemed to care for her. And his two brothers were much more amiable towards her than they had ever been towards Sokka, something he endured and was careful not to cause another scene. Mr. Darcy didn’t pay much attention to Katara, which Sokka supposed he should be grateful for, if only that also meant Darcy paid no attention to Sokka as well. No, instead the scarred man seemed to be staring at Sokka with every free moment, which Sokka did not find very agreeable at all, as he had no idea why the man was doing so--had Sokka truly offended him during the discussions the night before? Was this staring the same as that from the assembly, which Sokka was so sure had been prideful? The why does it no longer look like pride?

When Gran Gran eventually sent the carriage, she unfortunately took herself and Ty Lee with it, whirling inside of Netherfield on the excuse that she just had to thank Bingley for his care, that it had been so long since she had last seen the estate, etc. Ty Lee tagged along behind her, though she did not talk so much as gawk at everything. Sokka could feel the embarrassment creeping up on his neck before he could even greet them.

In the end, there was not much embarrassment to endure. Though Gran Gran could not help but make subtle jabs at Mr. Darcy’s arrogance, she had mostly stopped her culturally-insensitive remarks towards the Bingley family, to which both Sokka and Katara were very grateful. Ty Lee spoke only once out of turn, and it was directly to Mr. Aang Bingley, demanding that he honor the promise he had made to her at the assembly rooms’ dance and throw a ball at Netherfield. Thankfully, her energy seemed to compliment Mr. Aang Bingley’s well, and he took no offense at the outburst nor her insisting that the officers be invited. He agreed wholeheartedly, and even suggested that she name the date once Katara felt well enough for a ball. And when the Bennets finally departed from Netherfield Park, it was a cheerful carriage ride as each of them had been thoroughly impressed by Katara’s new (potential) suitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: hair-down Sokka makes everyone at least 20% gayer in every universe, including our lovely Zuko Darcy (now if only Sokka could get it through his thick skull that sometimes, when someone keeps staring at you, it means, just maybe, they're interested).
> 
> I love these scenes, though it took some awkward cutting to make them all work. I am most disappointed that I cannot include the "poetry/dancing is the food of love" debate between our protagonists, as I love the lines but I cannot, in good conscience, have Sokka hate on poetry. It's too out of character, and I couldn't find a good way for anyone else to make such iconic remarks. Nevertheless, I am excited to see what everyone thinks and I am even more excited to continue writing, as I am most looking forward to writing Toph (my favorite ATLA character, no question, and I feel she plays a very unique role in the story). Until next time!


	4. May I Have the Next Dance, Mister Sokka?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka's becoming slightly more spoiled for choice--whether or not he wants to be.

Katara had barely finished recovering at Longbourn before the next commotion in their lives began. Though this one began with a letter shared over breakfast.

“Mother, may I ask what dinner you have planned for tonight?

  
Kanna stopped eating and stared at her son in confusion, “When is it you began to care anything about my meal choices, Hakoda?”

  
“No offense was meant, I assure you,” Hakoda sighed and pulled a letter from his pocket, “I just have reason to believe that we will have a guest for dinner.”

  
The entire family perked up at the news but, rather than let them descend into chaos, Mr. Bennet instead cut them all off to summarise the letter’s contents, “A Mr. Hahn Collins, who is my father’s nephew and is to inherit this house, wrote to me recently about wanting to make amends.”

  
“Spirits be known he should make amends!” Kanna snapped, “After how awful his father was to you and your father, the man deserves none of this estate!”

  
Hakoda bowed his head, “Let us keep those fights in the grave with Father and Uncle, Mother. Mr. Collins reached out wanting to make amends by visiting the house and becoming closer with all of us, especially the children. I agreed to it, and now we are expecting him today at four. From his letter, he seems to be a polite gentleman, though he rambles such that I am half convinced that he is a very silly foolish indeed. Nevertheless, he will be our guest for the next fortnight or so, depending on how long his esteemed patron can spare him.”

  
“His esteemed patron?” Ty Lee questioned the wording rather than the distasteful tone Hakoda had used.

  
“He’s a rector under the patronage of the ‘Right Honorable Lord Ozai de Bourgh’” Hakoda read from the paper directly, squinting at a distance as if to show his age, “A widower of a large estate, it seems, though not an inheritor. We shall have to ask him more about it once he arrives.”

  
Reverend Hahn Collins arrived exactly on time, with the dreary dress of a clergyman doing nothing to make his tall, wide appearance any smaller. The family treated him cordially, though it was obvious that Mrs. Bennet didn’t much care for him, and that Ty Lee found him dull (though Sokka couldn’t tell if that was because of Collins himself or just the fact he was not the dashing officers that Ty Lee had been constantly talking about). Sokka had an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach every time the man talked, as if his entire existence was a mockery of surrounding society. He just couldn’t tell if the man in question was in on the joke or not. To their credit, Mr. Bennet and Katara seemed perfectly civil towards him.

  
“What such fair cousins I have, complimented even more so by such a fine meal! Tell me, Mrs. Bennet, which of my lovely cousins am I to thank for such superb eating?” His voice was too loud and too eager to please in Sokka’s ears-- the harshness made even worse by the flowery language used as Sokka was once again reduced to being that of a set of sisters, not an individual.

  
“We are perfectly able to keep a cook, Mr. Collins.” Kanna was above snapping at guests, but she was drawing closer and closer to the line.

  
“Oh, I never meant to imply--” he said the words with a smile, as if the misstep was a joke to him. The entire family tensed.

  
“Mr. Collins, you mentioned your patron briefly in your letter,” Hakoda didn’t ask a question as part of the topic change, and thankfully Collins did not need one.

  
“Ah yes! I am ever so indebted to Lord Ozai, he is such a kind man. Many people find him proud, you know, but I have never been so better received than I have been at his spectacular estate.”

  
“Does he have a very grand estate? Is it near your dwellings?” Katara picked up the conversation next. Sokka hated the way Collins’ gaze shifted as he addressed his sister.

  
“Oh, Rosings Park is one of the grandest estates in the whole country, by my knowledge! It is the next lane over from the parsonage, and Lord Ozai has already invited me to dine with him twice since my ordination! The whole family is so lovely, as his daughter, Miss Mai de Bourgh, is one of the fairest ladies I have ever seen, and barely older than Miss Ty Lee Bennet.”

  
Ty Lee did not respond to the mention, taking a page out of Sokka’s book to stare at nothing in particular and listen to no one. Thankfully, dinner was nearly over, and Hakoda was able to transfer the conversation accordingly, “Mr. Collins, would you be interested in reading aloud to us as we move to the drawing room?”

  
The Bennet family was well aware that Hakoda had no patience for people reading aloud for entertainment, and Sokka took this as a cue that even Hakoda was tiring of the man. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Mr. Collins was unaware of such preferences and readily agreed to reading, choosing to recite from his own copy of Fordyce’s Sermons. He had barely made it through one passage whenever Ty Lee, unable to simply phase out of the conversation any longer, interrupted him.

  
“Gran Gran, do you remember the officer I was speaking to the other night, Denny? Well Sir Lucas says--”

  
“Child, apologise to our guest for your manners.” Hakoda, the only one with any authority to interrupt (though it was still considered rude he even had to do so), cut her off sharply, though he looked to be half asleep in his chair.

  
Ty Lee took a breath, her own temper evident on her face but she kept her tone steady, “My apologies, Mr. Collins, for speaking out of turn.”

  
“You may continue reading, sir, if you so wish,” Kanna tried to help smooth the conversation, but it seemed Collins was quite done with the ordeal himself.

  
“If it is alright madam, I shall retire from reading this evening. Mr. Bennet, are you interested in an opponent for a game of pai sho?”

  
Sokka was ready to accept the game wholeheartedly--even if he did not like the man, it would be a ready change of pace from the usual tradition of Sokka beating everyone bar occasionally his father at the game--only to shrink slightly whenever his father was the one who accepted the challenge. Of course, it was only natural for the father of the house to be referred to Mr. Bennet predominantly, and Sokka scolded himself for thinking anything different. Thankfully, the night did not last much longer, and soon enough everyone was able to break away for a night’s sleep.

  
The next morning, Ty Lee insisted they all walk to town. Sokka and Katara’s suspicions about her reasons were confirmed whenever Hakoda invited Mr. Collins to join his children and Ty Lee immediately tried to go back on her word. Nevertheless, the quartet set out from Longbourn and into town not long after breakfast, with the siblings enduring their cousin as best they could (meaning Sokka accompanied Ty Lee and forced her not too walk too far ahead of the group, while Katara took the brunt of Collins’ rambles from his side). Ty Lee finally broke free from Sokka once they had reached the shops, though thankfully her running was not very far, as she had spotted a few officers of her acquaintance. Despite her rudely running up to them, she was polite enough to introduce everyone semi-formally.

  
“Hello Denny, hello Chamberlayne! I was hoping to see you in town,” there was a third man there, who Lydia did not seem to know, so he was introduced first.

  
“Oh, Lydia! Lovely to see you!” One of the officers--Denny or Chamberlayne, but with no way to know which was which in their uniforms and Lydia’s identical greetings-- smiled at the group, “May I introduce Ms. Wickham? She has just taken up her commission with us!”

  
The lady in question, though not yet dressed in her proper redcoat, looked every inch someone of importance. Sokka couldn’t help but admire her pale skin and amber eyes, all framed by dark hair that was neatly pulled back in a masculine style. She held and dressed herself masculinely, in accordance with her commission with the militia, naturally, and Sokka mindlessly wondered if he had always had such a favorable reaction to women in such attire, or if she was an exception. He determined to find out at some point, for he could barely stop staring at her, even whenever she smiled in recognition of his staring.

  
Ty Lee smiled brightly at the new acquaintance, briefly introducing her siblings and skipping over Mr. Collins entirely (he had gotten into a conversation with a merchant not too far away, but no one bothered to try and include him in the conversation). She asked the officers how they had found London in their brief trip, and soon enough the whole group was engaged in pleasant conversation. Sokka struggled to look away from the charming figure and striking address that Ms. Wickham possessed, though thankfully he was not so preoccupied with her looks to make a fool of himself in the conversation. However, their talks were altered as two horses rode up to the street they were standing aside.

  
“Miss Bennet! How are you? We were--well, I was just on the way to Longbourn to inquire after your health.” Mr. Bingley’s dapple grey steed was wise enough to keep some distance from the group, though Mr. Bingley seemed eager to talk exclusively to Katara despite the gap.

  
“I am well, thank you.” Katara smiled earnestly.

  
Sokka tuned out of the flirting now coming from both of his sisters, only to notice an odd exchange of looks. The new Ms. Wickham had been noticed by the usually stoic Mr. Darcy, even from atop his blood bay stallion. In an instant, both of their faces took on very different expressions, with Darcy growing red in some combination of anger and fluster, and Wickham smiling as if Darcy’s discomfort was a victory. The smile suited her, Sokka thought idly, though his thoughts were mostly preoccupied in what possibly could have transpired between the two to have such reactions.

  
“--And has Miss Ty Lee decided on a date for the ball, now that Miss Bennet is feeling better?” Mr. Bingley’s addressing of the other group captured Sokka’s attention, and he turned away from the mysterious pair.

  
Ty Lee managed to brighten even further, though Sokka didn’t know how that was possible, “Ooh! How about Friday night? Or does Saturday work better?”

  
“I believe we shall be able to prepare Netherfield by Friday,” Bingley looked to Darcy for agreement, though the other man didn’t seem to be paying attention, “So Friday it is!”

  
“I’m so excited! And are the officers invited? Oh, that would provide so many dancing partners!” Ty Lee giggled directly at the officers next to her, who all smiled with varying degrees of innocence in return.

  
“I do not see why not! I shall write and invite everyone properly, of course,” Mr. Bingley was visibly distracted by Darcy’s solemness and decided to smile one last time at Katara they before took their leave. Sokka stared after Darcy, still confused at the interaction (and vaguely registering that the man who was so prone to staring hadn’t even looked in his direction during the entire encounter).

  
The group resumed their talking, with Wickham now taking extra care to be a lively part of the conversation. Sokka was delighted when she actually laughed at his attempt at humor (no one ever did, so this was a special delight). Soon enough Mr. Collins rejoined the group, and--in Ty Lee’s haste to not be left alone with him again--the Bennets decided they might visit a relative’s estate on their journey back to Longbourn, so that the officers may accompany them for most of the journey. Sokka surprised even himself as he held out an arm to Ms. Wickham, something that came so naturally to him with his sisters and Yue but, somehow, this was so very different. She smiled--a slight smile, not one of victory or over-eagerness or completely-smittenness, but a smile nonetheless-- and took the arm. The Bennet sisters shared a look, though Ty Lee was somewhat reluctant, and soon enough Sokka and Wickham were trailing behind the group without any disturbances.

  
“So, Mr. Bennet, are you and your sisters natives of the area?” Her voice was as commanding as the rest of her presence, and Sokka found himself distracted by it.

  
“Hm? Oh, yes, we have lived in Longbourn estate, not far from here, all our lives.” Sokka fumbled with his words, and thankfully Wickham refrained from commenting.

  
“You must have gone away for school, surely?”

  
Sokka turned his face away, wondering what sort of luck he had that every conversation he had seemed to push all the wrong buttons every time, “No, I was educated at home.” Anyone of any rank knew what this meant; he was almost too old to begin training as an officer, and without any other education to his name he was either expected to inherit or expected to marry someone who would. Sokka just hoped Wickham would assume the former, despite the foolish man walking ahead of them actually playing that role. His hatred of the man grew steadily harsher, as he was reminded yet again that Hahn Collins, despite being the inheritor from a very young age, had still been given more of a proper education and livelihood to his name than Sokka himself.

  
“I see. And do you like it here?”

  
A safer topic, thankfully, “I would like to travel at some point, but I do like the area. My family and friends are here, so it would be unnatural for me to scorn it.”

  
Ty Lee glanced back at them, waving as if they were a further distance apart. Wickham smiled back and waved with her free hand, which seemed to satisfy Ty Lee, who turned back in a fit of giggles. Sokka shook his head at his sister’s antics.

  
“And would you consider Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy to be some of those friends?”

  
Sokka faltered slightly at the conversation shift, though hoped he would be able to figure out what had happened between Wickham and Darcy, “I cannot say for sure. They have not been in the area long, though Mr. Bingley is in all aspects a very kind fellow.”

  
Wickham raised an eyebrow, looking slightly up at him though thoroughly in charge of the situation, “May I ask your opinion of Mr. Darcy?”

  
“He does not interact much, but from his previous manner I find him very disagreeable indeed. Though I’ll admit I know little about him; all I know is that he is a close friend of Bingley’s and that he has a very large estate in Derbyshire.”

  
Now it was Wickham’s turn to turn away from the conversation, though she continued talking, “Yes, his estate there is a noble one. A clear ten thousand per annum. I am well acquainted with it, as that is in fact where I grew up.”

  
Sokka briefly caught her eye, but he had no response to give, so she continued, “As you said, Mr. Darcy is not the most agreeable man, and towards me even less so, though I fear I am too close to the subject to be a fair judge. You see, the late Mr. Iroh Darcy was my godfather, in a sense, and cared much for me and my education in my later years. I have no natural allowance and no dowry, nor could he entitle me one in his estate due to our lack of relation, so instead he left me as large a sum as was possible so that I may become educated and make my own living. My dream had been to be part of the church, so that I may occupy the parsonage on the same grounds I had grown up on.”

  
“And how has it come to you taking a commission, with such noble goals and resources?” Sokka was careful in his wording, trying again to watch her expressions.

  
Wickham was quiet for a moment, and Sokka was about to apologise for his manners whenever she spoke, “The young Mr. Zuko Darcy inherited it all, of course, and refused to give me what I am owed. I am half-convinced that Zuko and his sister were jealous of me, for I was always a much better bender than he and possessed the gift of fire, unlike the young Miss Toph Darcy who is an earthbender like her mother, both of which may have softened Mr. Darcy to me instead of his natural children. I hate to speak ill of them, for children are in many ways just extensions of their parents, but I must admit I can find no redeemable qualities in Zuko. Miss Toph is young, and had no control over my fate, so I cannot blame her for anything but being too cordial with her brother, if that can ever be a true crime.”

  
Sokka found himself at a momentary loss for words, mind ablaze with opinions and theories about it all--is this why Darcy spoke in such awful ways about women? But what had caused the hatred originally? Was this prejudice, or simply cruelty? Wickham again filled the gaps.

  
“And such is my story of becoming an officer rather than a lady. It makes for good company, and the training is not so much as to make me too masculine, but I would much prefer a country parish if ever given the opportunity.”

  
“That is--he-- he deserves to be shamed! Publicly shamed for such dishonourable crimes against someone as close as a sister!”

  
Wickham’s face was still turned away, though she seemed to smile at him, “Perhaps some day he will be, by someone with more power than myself to carry out justice properly. Though I must say that I am glad you find his actions as such, for it speaks very well for your own character, Mr. Bennet.”

  
It was not the first nor last time that Sokka would feel himself practically melt at well-timed praise from an attractive individual, though this time he allowed himself to enjoy it without any temper or inner turmoil getting in the way.

  
~

  
The ball had to be delayed a week (as Ty Lee’s suggestion was really too near for proper preparation) but eventually the Bennet family, Mr. Collins in tow, was once again packed into their carriage, dressed in their finery, and on their way to another grand event. Ty Lee was just as bubbly as ever, though Katara seemed slightly more on-edge. Sokka had tried to calm her down prior to their departure, but he struggled to empathize with her nerves and so didn’t do very well at it. He, for one, was excited to see Wickham again, despite Katara’s teasing about it and Ty Lee’s whining that Sokka managed to “attract the only woman in the area who could ever be interested in me!”. Sokka had argued that point, saying that surely there were other women of a dominant disposition around, and that Wickham had smiled so sweetly and had been openly vulnerable to him that he refused to believe she was completely turned away from men. Such points did nothing to quell Ty Lee’s whines, but he had attempted nevertheless.  
Once they arrived at the party, the family was immediately welcomed in by the Bingleys and Darcy, who stood in the foyer with the exact purpose of welcoming all the invited guests. Mr. Collins strayed away from the family before they even reached the hosts, claiming to have noticed a prior acquaintance (no one was sorry to see him go). Hakoda was quick to move along, taking Kanna with him to spare Mr. Bingley from her embarrassing comments. The siblings, however, lingered slightly.

  
“I really am glad to see you looking well, Miss Bennet.” there was a moment of awkwardness before Bingley realised what exactly he had said, “Not that you don’t always look well! I mean I’m glad to see you recovered! From your illness! You look exceptionally handsome tonight, actually, er--”

  
Katara smiled at him, which was, impressively, enough to silence his rambles, “Thank you, Mr. Bingley. It is nice to be at Netherfield while feeling like myself.”

  
“Yes! Good!” Ty Lee giggled at Bingley’s awkwardness, though he didn’t seem to mind her and continued talking, “In fact, I was wondering if I might reserve your first two dances, once the guests have arrived and I am relieved of this post?”

  
“I would like that, Mr. Bingley.” Katara was not as outright in her flirting as her sister, or even as Mr. Bingley himself, but Sokka could tell she was actually flustered by his attention, even if she did not verbalise it. The man in question nearly jumped in joy, and seemed very eager to continue talking, only to be prevented from doing so by more guests arriving and capturing his attention. The Bennets smiled and moved onto the next room, though not without Ty Lee’s commentary.

  
“Katara, you really must encourage him more if you want those 5,000 pounds! Men especially need encouragement, for they don’t understand reserved women, I find.” Ty Lee’s attempt at wisdom rang out over the crowd, much to the embarrassment of her siblings, “What? Surely you can’t be after him for his appearance--”

  
“Ty Lee!” Katara snapped, pulling her (and in effect Sokka) aside from the crowd, “You cannot say such things! You are not a child anymore-- there are consequences for everything you say!”

  
Ty Lee all but rolled her eyes at the lecture, and Katara tensed in anger before giving up and storming off into the crowd. The younger girl turned to Sokka in their sister’s absence, “Does she really like him, or is she just angry that I do not skip around these subjects like everyone else does?”

  
“Even if she had no regard for him, which I cannot believe, you really cannot say such things in crowds. You never know who might hear, and Katara’s reputation could be sullied with such comments.”

  
Ty Lee shrugged and took his arm again, “Oh well, she will forgive me. Now, let us try and find our officers, hm?” Sokka had half a mind to correct her phrasing, but decided it simply wasn’t worth the effort. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to locate Mr. Denny (and a few other officers that Sokka was un-introduced to, but none of the parties bothered to go through formal introductions).

  
“Hello Denny! It is lovely to see you! Do you know where Ms. Wickham is, by chance?” Ty Lee was all smiles, and Denny and the men returned them easily.

  
“Ah, unfortunately she is unable to attend tonight. She claimed it was urgent business,” the man lowered his voice, “But in all honesty, there seems to be certain parties here that she is actively avoiding, and I think that is her true reason!”

  
Ty Lee hadn’t been informed of Wickham’s misfortunes (Sokka had to tell Katara, of course, but didn’t trust Ty Lee to keep from talking about it at every occasion) and simply giggled and began on a different topic. Sokka had stopped paying attention, instead excusing himself quietly so that he may find a drink to occupy himself with instead of his growing disappointment. On his journey, he also managed to find Yue, who he clung to and began to tell her all about the elusive Ms. Wickham and Mr. Darcy’s dastardly actions. She had succeeded in cheering Sokka up slightly, whenever they were suddenly approached by Darcy himself.

  
“Sorry to interrupt,” His voice was its usual raspiness, his eyes their usual intensity, “Mr. Bennet, may I have the next dance?”

  
To say Sokka was surprised would be an understatement. Just the fact that Darcy had approached him unaccompanied was unprecedented, but to ask him to a dance? Sokka struggled to form a coherent thought, but still managed a soft, “You may.”

  
The scarred man bowed slightly, no smile to be found, and left them (the current song had barely begun, so it would be a few minutes before their dance). Sokka and Yue turned to each other in varied states of shock.

  
“Did Mr. Darcy just ask me to dance with him?” Sokka asked in his haze, “Did I just agree to dance with Mr. Darcy, who I find so disagreeable and despicable?”

  
Yue nodded slowly, “I believe so, yes.”

  
Sokka smacked his own forehead in frustration, “Do you have any idea why I did so? I can’t go back on that now!”

  
Yue chuckled at his distress, “Now, it will do you no good to worry about it. You just have to dance with him once, Sokka.”

  
“Yes, right.” Sokka took a swig of his drink, though almost spat it back out as Mr. Collins appeared out of seemingly nowhere and placed a hand just a little too low on Sokka’s back.

  
“Mr. Sokka, dear cousin, may I have this next dance?” His tone was vaguely angry, though he sounded like he was doing his best to sound alluring (it didn’t work).

  
Sokka turned to try and get the man’s hand off of him, but Collins seemed persistent to stake his claim. He huffed slightly, “Unfortunately, I have already promised the next dance to another person, Mr. Collins.” Yue sipped at her drink as a cough bubbled up in her throat. Thankfully she had called upon Longbourn in the time Mr. Collins had been staying there and had already been properly introduced, for Sokka was in no mood to do so now.

  
Collins faltered but still wouldn’t distance himself, “Ah, that is most unfortunate. The two dances after, then? To make up for our loss?”

  
Sokka nearly wanted to scream at the man’s arrogance, but bit his tongue as he heard the current song end, “I shall reserve you the dance, Mr. Collins. Now if you’ll excuse me,” he broke away finally, practically running to the dance floor. His relief was temporary, however, as Darcy approached him once again and offered his arm. Sokka swallowed his nerves and took it, taking the following role without any discussion.

  
The dance began with no conversation between them at all, until the talkative Sokka found it unbearable and made some vague comment about the dance. Darcy remained silent.

  
“It is your turn to say something, Mr. Darcy. I made the first comment about the dance, now you must in turn say something equally as boring so that we may break way into better conversation.”

  
Sokka could have sworn that a ghost of a smile passed over Darcy’s face, but it was gone as soon as it arrived. However, the man certainly sounded happier as he quipped, “Whatever it is you wish for me to say, consider it said.”

  
“I guess that also works,” Sokka felt his mood lighten, despite a certain part of his mind constantly reminding him of what the man had done.

  
“Do you make it a rule to always talk while dancing?” Mr. Darcy asked genuinely the next time they were close to one another, this time linked at the arms as they walked through the rows of dancers.

  
“Usually, yes. And while not dancing, if I can help it. I am not the type to allow awkward silences to fill the air, and comfortable silences are so rare to come by that I think it best to have very little silence at all. I am sure you think that silly, Mr. Darcy, but you must forgive me the occasional silliness in my position.”

  
Darcy was silent for a moment, processing the full meaning of Sokka’s comment (if Sokka was to be a follower by default, then Darcy could not blame him for his foolishness, a decidedly feminine attribute by Mr. Darcy’s own account). However, Sokka had no desire to pass the rest of the dance in silence and determined to speak again anyway.

  
“When you came upon us in Meryton the other day, my sisters and I were forming a new acquaintance,” technically several, if one included Denny and Chamberlayne, but Sokka refrained from saying as much. He was tempted to push further, but stopped himself from doing so after seeing Darcy’s face change to one of extreme distaste in an instant.

  
“Miss Wickham has always had the pleasure of making friends easily, though I am not certain if she is equally capable of keeping them.” Was all Darcy had to say on the matter, leading to another moment of silence which Sokka simply had to break.

  
“Are you the sort of man to hold long grudges against others, Mr. Darcy?” The question may have been innocent in other contexts, but after the previous conversation was decidedly less pleasant.

  
“Indeed I am. My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever. I am not sure if you consider that a fault, Mr. Bennet, but it is simply my pride preventing me from trusting others who are determined to break it.”

  
Sokka couldn’t find fault in the sentiment, or at least had nothing much to say to continue that strain of topic, so Darcy was the next to speak, “May I ask the reason for your question?”

  
“Curiosity,” Sokka said quickly, “I am trying to map out your character, Mr. Darcy, as I have heard many different accounts of you.”

  
The man paled at the statement, his face steeling slightly, “I must ask you not to sketch my character at such a time, Mr. Bennet. These accounts and other such events prevent me from acting as I wish at the present.”

  
“But if I do not sketch now, I may not get another opportunity,” Sokka attempted the quip in a lighthearted fashion, but the man in front of him, even in his bow, seemed to grow even more distressed and stoic at the comment.

  
“Then I shall not deny you any pleasures.” The song had ended already, though the two stood staring at one another for a moment longer without a word said between them. The feeling in Sokka’s chest returned with such feeling as their stares held up that he nearly flinched at it. Darcy was striding away from him in the next second, however, and soon enough Mr. Collins had found his way to him.

  
“There you are, dear cousin! Did you enjoy your dance?” He asked cordially, assuming the leading role and standing closer to Sokka than the slightly smaller man was even remotely comfortable with, despite the proximity being polite enough for the occasion. For some reason, an entirely worse feeling overwhelmed Sokka then, though he again silenced himself and allowed the next dance to begin without responding.

  
This would not dissuade Mr. Collins from chatting, however, so the man continued, “Was your partner not agreeable? I confess I was in the adjacent room and did not spot who the gentleman was.”

  
Sokka sighed and resigned himself to talking, determining that this must be some sort of retribution for forcing Darcy into coversation, “He was agreeable enough. I danced with a Mr. Darcy of Pemberley, are you acquainted?”

  
Mr. Collins nearly gasped at the name, “Mr. Darcy? While I have not had the pleasure of acquainting myself with him directly, I have heard much about him! He is the nephew of my patron, Lord Ozai. The Lord does not much agree of how Mr. Darcy attends his business, but often speaks at length about--” There was no actual interruption, but Sokka could no longer bear listening to the man’s rambles about his employer and tuned out the man completely, plastering a polite smile to his face and nodding whenever they made eye contact. This somehow was enough to satiate Mr. Collins’ need for discussion through the two dances, though Sokka had accidentally agreed to accompany him to the dining hall afterwards and again had no means of escape. Yue and Katara had taken refuge there as well, talking with the Messrs. Hurst as the other Bingley brothers were nowhere to be seen. Sokka convinced Mr. Collins to separate so that the man may pursue the food and drink available, with Sokka running to his sister and friend’s side as soon as Mr. Collins departed.

  
“There you are, Sokka. I was afraid all your dance partners would keep you away for the rest of the night!” Katara teased him once again, and the rest of the group chuckled along with her. Sokka managed to refrain from glaring too harshly, though he was forced to tease her back.

  
“And you? Have you been dancing with anyone besides--” Sokka began to reply, but was silenced by the look of horror that had come over Katara as her gaze turned to a commotion happening behind Sokka.

  
The commotion was not a grand one quite yet, but it was enough to be mortifying. Mr. Collins, with no third party or mutual acquaintance on hand, was attempting to get the attention of Mr. Darcy, who was engaged in polite conversation with Mr. Momo Bingley nearby. The Bennet siblings especially were appalled at the sight, seeing as they were the ones to bring the offensive party, but neither of them were close enough to stop what had already begun. They could not make out any of the conversation, but it was obvious that Mr. Collins was waxing poetic about Lord Ozai and Mr. Darcy was thoroughly displeased with the embarrassing ramble. He replied shortly, with an air of forced civility, before turning back to his previous conversation. Thankfully Mr. Collins understood that their conversation was over, and walked over to join his cousins. The Messrs. Hurt excused themselves moments before he arrived and quickly fled the scene, but Yue and the Bennets had no such escape.

  
“That went exceedingly well! I assured Mr. Darcy that his uncle was in excellent health when I last saw him at Rosings, and he even thanked me for such courtesy! A polite man indeed, though his countenance is nowhere near Lord Ozai’s.” He even regaled the events with a smile on his face, as if he had not just made himself and his relations a laughingstock. Even when Mr. Collins silenced himself long enough to eat his supper, Sokka and Katara were further mortified to hear their grandmother’s comments carry over from where she sat amongst friends at a nearby table. Her language was barely different from Ty Lee’s earlier rude remarks, only in that they skirted around Katara and Mr. Bingley’s relationship with slightly more grace. It was made worse whenever Kanna began talking of Mr. Darcy’s manners, despite the man himself sitting even closer to her than her grandchildren.

  
“Is there any chance of our family not making a fool of themselves at every turn this evening?” Sokka said to his sister as quietly as possible. She could not tear her gaze from all the Bingleys that now flocked Darcy and were gossiping quite animatedly amongst themselves, and simply shrugged in response.

  
However, the night was not over yet, and the very next commotion in the room came from Ty Lee, who was drunkenly laughing so hard over something one of the many officers around her had said that she snorted in glee and spilled the red wine in her hand on to the man closest to her. He was already closer than what most thought appropriate, and it was made even worse by Ty Lee’s giggles as she offered to help him dry off. The entire display was scandalous on every account, though thankfully the man did not take her up on her offer and removed himself from the situation--only to be replaced by another officer who managed to sit even closer. Sokka groaned and placed his head in his hands, thoroughly exhausted.

  
The rest of the night did nothing to cheer Sokka up. Mr. Collins refused to leave his side, and too often was touching him in some capacity. At first, Yue was there to converse with him while Sokka tried not to lose his mind, but soon enough her health declined and her family left the gathering. Despite Sokka claiming he was far too tired to dance any further, and that he would take no offense if Mr. Collins wished to find another partner, the clergyman simply claimed he had no desire to dance either and would rather be in Sokka’s company. This effectively ruined any chance Sokka had with dancing or engaging in polite conversation with anyone else. The only upside was that Bingley had neglected to prepare a room for demonstrations, so at least Sokka was not forced to see the man waterbend or, even worse, have to endure sitting beside him on a sofa where he could manage to sit even closer.

  
The night even ended poorly, as Kanna delayed calling their carriage to the point where they were the last ones to leave. She was obviously doing so to prolong Katara and Bingley’s time to interact, but the rest of both households were deeply unhappy at the situation and said as such, griping about exhaustion as they awaited the carriage. Eventually, the disaster of a night finally came to an end as the Longbourn residents were carried far away from Netherfield, and Sokka could not be more relieved.


	5. The Usual Practice of Elegant Females

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Sokka subconsciously tries to prove to the world how not-feminine he really is: first, by rejecting a man's advances with a harsh no (in a way that may or not involve a sword) and then by fighting the man who has wronged the very attractive woman Sokka has spoken to all of once (in a way that definitely involves multiple swords).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CONTENT WARNING: Within this chapter, a character behaves very inappropriately and touches Sokka on the hands, arms, and legs without Sokka's consent, and Sokka in response feels appropriately violated by said actions. It is not technically r*pe or molestation by modern standards, but he definitely crosses the line of what is appropriate. PLEASE feel free to skip if this could be triggering for you! I go into more detail in the endnotes if you want to skip this chapter entirely, but the worst of it happens between "But it was too late. Sokka was suddenly very aware of the air in the room, too still and stifling and choking him. He also became aware. . ." and ends before "“Sokka!” Gran Gran yelled after him. . .". Along similar lines, there is a scene where Gran Gran blames Sokka for his actions against his aggressor, and Sokka/Ty Lee admit that they can't expose the aggressor for his actions, which isn't how I want to portray any of them but it plays into the story and its how I believe people of the era would approach such issues. Again, please check the endnotes if you aren't sure, but I hope you enjoy the story!

There was still a guest in the household, so breakfast the next morning was a communal affair. The family was woken for this purpose exactly, despite their hangovers, and each eventually made their way to the main breakfast room. It was not early by any means, but the late night and much too bright sunlight made it feel as such. Conversation was nonexistent between the family members as they each ate their share in comfortable silence. Silence that, like many good things in Sokka’s life as of late, was disrupted by a Mr. Hahn Collins, who descended the stairs with a heavy gait and cleared his throat to announce himself at the doorway.

  
“Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet, may I request a private audience with Mr. Sokka?”

  
Sokka should have known something was amiss from this moment--why a private audience? Why the formal request? Why not just approach Sokka when he was inevitably alone later on during the day?--but, alas, Sokka had barely even heard the man over his eating and pounding headache. He also missed the distinct look that passed between his father and grandmother, as Kanna smiled but Hakoda scowled, and the look between his sisters, as Katara reeled in shock while Ty Lee grimaced as if she knew what was coming.

  
“Why, of course, Mr. Collins. Come along, everyone, let's clear the room,” Kanna stood suddenly, making a distinct nod at everyone to get out. The standing brought Sokka back into the real world, and he began to panic as he saw the worried looks from his sisters.

  
“Wait, what?” was all the eloquence he had, unfortunately, as Katara squeezed his hand, Kanna glared at him, and Hakoda gripped his shoulder on their way out of the room, “No, wait, don’t--”

  
But it was too late. Sokka was suddenly very aware of the air in the room, too still and stifling and choking him. He also became aware of Mr. Collins, who approached him slowly, as if Sokka was prey to be hunted. Before Sokka could stand and at least try to stand his ground, the larger man stood behind his chair, hands on Sokka’s biceps as he leaned down to talk directly into his ear.

  
“My dear cousin, you really must try to pay attention,” He chuckled, and Sokka could practically taste his breath, “I have much to say to you, and your silly day dreaming would be very disappointing.”

  
Sokka struggled to stand--to move--to do anything to get him away from the man. Collins again chuckled, though he allowed Sokka some freedom as he moved to kneel beside his chair instead of engaging Sokka from behind. He grabbed both of Sokka’s hands as he kneeled, however, keeping Sokka effectively pinned to his seat.

  
“Your silliness does you well, Mister Sokka, as it endears me to your effeminate disposition even further. Even with such distractions you are sure to be aware of what exactly I wish to speak to you about, for my attention has been quite marked. You see, almost as soon as I entered this house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But, before I am overcome with emotion, let me first outline my reasons for marrying--”

  
Sokka was mostly numb in shock, having no idea any of this was even a possibility. Some strange part of him had to wonder if Hahn had ever been overcome with any delicate emotion in his life, but the thought was lost to the static of his shock. Unfortunately, said shock meant he had no words to interrupt Hahn’s speech.

  
“My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness;” Sokka tried to pull himself from the man’s grip as Collins began to run the fingers of his right hand gently up Sokka’s arm, with the smaller man’s wrists held firmly in his left hand, “and thirdly, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lord whom I have the honour of calling patron. Twice has he condescended to give me his opinion (unasked too!) on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I left, that he said, ‘Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. -- Choose properly, choose someone of gentility and good breeding for my sake; and for your own, let them be an attractive, active, useful sort of person, not brought up too high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a person as soon as you can, bring them here, and I will visit them.’ Allow me, by the way, to observe, my fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lord Ozai de Bourgh as among the least of the advantages in my power to offer. You will find his manners beyond any thing I can describe; and your wit and address I think must be acceptable to him, especially when tempered with the silence and respect which his rank will inevitably excite.”

  
Collins’ right hand moved to tracing Sokka’s knee, Sokka’s hands still trapped in one of Hahn’s. Sokka could not remember a time when he felt as uncomfortable as this, and yet his body refused to cooperate and he could not speak or move against his kneeling cousin, who continued in his speech.

  
“This is why, in general, I am in favour of matrimony; next I must explain why I traveled to Longbourn instead of perusing my own neighbourhood, where I assure you there are many amiable young targets. But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a spouse from among his children, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place -- which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years. I must admit my original intention was to find a wife from amongst your sisters, in order to ensure a proper bloodline and a most sacred marriage for my congregation, but alas it is you who I have chosen. I am sure my patron will not argue, for he is not so old as to disagree with the progressive nature of our upcoming marriage, and I hope that by our example, much love shall be showcased no matter the true sexes.”

  
His hand moved down from Sokka’s knee, tracing the back of his calves through his stockings. Sokka twitched, but again found himself unable to speak, though the longer he listened, the more enraged he became--is this what is considered a proposal? A man running his hands upon him while degrading his very status as a man by birth? Was Sokka supposed to feel honored or flattered by any of these thinly-veiled, sickeningly polite insults?

  
“--And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection. To fortune I am perfectly aware that you shall not be entitled to much of an income in your life, even after your father and grandmother’s death. You may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married--”

  
Somehow that was it--the talk of money, when Sokka could hear the shame begin to roar in his ears-- that forced Sokka to speak.

  
“You are too hasty sir--” Sokka’s voice cracked on the last word, as Hahn’s wandering hand began to feel Sokka’s thighs, again entrapping Sokka with his body language. The touches were a whirlwind of feeling, and, while Sokka did not find the touch itself repulsive, the nature of circumstance and the man who was doing the touching was enough to make Sokka’s entire body grow intensely cold. He swallowed and tried again, “You forget I have made no answer! While I am complimented by your attention--” the hard crept up to Sokka’s hip, and Sokka felt himself shake as his voice grew louder, “I must refuse you, Mr. Collins! And I ask that you please unhand me!” The final phrase was yelled as Sokka pushed his strength into pushing backwards and away from the man before him.

  
However, Hahn held him firm, and grinned as he responded, “Now, dear cousin, I am well aware that refusal is the usual practice of elegant females, and so I must again insist that you reconsider.” His right thumb rubbed circles against Sokka’s hip bone, his fingers dipping under Sokka’s outermost layer.

  
“I have no wish to give you any such hope, sir! I am not an ‘elegant female’ and I must say again that I have no interest in marrying you! Mr. Collins--”

  
Collins audibly shushed his cousin, bringing the trapped hands closer to him in an attempt to kiss at least one of them. However, Sokka used the proximity to strike the man’s cheek, which thankfully shocked the bigger man enough to allow Sokka to finally scramble away from the situation, standing in the center of the open space so that he did not corner himself.

  
Mr. Collins, looking thoroughly enraged and embarrassed at this turn of events, drew himself up to full height and began again to slowly approach Sokka, holding his hands out as if to surrender, all while having no kindness to his tone, “Mister Sokka, if I have offended you in my actions, I must apologise, for they were only expressions of how much I deeply feel about you, and I mean no ill intent. I ask you again to reconsider your disgraceful response, however, for the sake of your own future and that of your family’s.”

  
In Sokka’s haste to keep the other man away from him, he grabbed the ornamental sword that hung above the mantelpiece beside him, waving the ancient metal as if the blade was actually sharp and as if Sokka knew how to swordfight beyond the standard gentleman’s fencing (which this much heavier, broader sword would not support). Thankfully, Mr. Collins did not attempt to get any closer, though Sokka’s stance stayed firm, “You have no right to make such comments, Mr. Collins. I have been as polite as I can in my refusal thus far, no matter your actions, and I plead that you recognise that I am completely honest as I say that, while I wish you every happiness, I am not and will never be your spouse. Now, I am going to exit the room and I ask you not to follow me, sir.”

  
Sokka was forced to encircle the table in order to reach the exit into the main house, which was the quickest route to outside. He was vaguely aware of his own tears welling up as he was focused on Hahn’s outright glare tracking his every move. He did not even risk turning his back to open the door, only turning once the doorway was wide open. He didn’t look at his family, who had obviously been listening from the other side of the doorway, as he ran outside, dropping the sword and letting it clatter to the ground behind him.

  
“Sokka!” Gran Gran yelled after him, though thankfully none of them gave chase. He ran out into the grounds and beyond, eventually sprinting just for the sake of releasing energy as he crossed through roads and fields. He hadn’t chosen a particular direction, just away, and so had no clear ending point. Once he realised which direction he had chosen, and saw Netherfield Park become clearer ahead of him, he made the hasty decision to call upon Mr. Bingley and tempt him to some sport or something of the like, just to get his mind away from the dark place it currently resided. If he was in a clearer state of mind, he would have been able to recall that Air nomads, by their nature, despised most country sports such as hunting or fishing. However, such a fact eluded him as he continued his route towards Netherfield.

  
As he approached the estate, however, a carriage filled with people was hastily pulling away, leaving only Mr. Darcy standing on the step as servants bustled about, clearly closing up the manor. Unfortunately, Sokka was noticed by Mr. Darcy before he could hastily leave the premises, and swallowed his distress to try and be as polite as possible.

  
“Good Morning, Mr. Bennet.” Darcy said shortly, though his body language was all confusion at the other man’s sudden appearance.

  
Sokka cleared his throat, “Ah, yes-- good morning to you, as well, Mr. Darcy. I meant to call upon--well, to call upon the house and to see if anyone was interested in sporting, but it seems no,” he could not help the fidgeting in his hands, his mind scrambling to keep up a decent facade. Mr. Darcy was obviously aware of the other man’s discomfort, but Sokka tried to convince himself otherwise regardless.

  
“Unfortunately, business draws the Bingleys back to London for the time being, so we have decided to quit Netherfield.” As soon as Sokka finally caught Darcy’s eye, the scarred man was back to staring out at the grounds instead, “I am only here for a few hours longer, to oversee the closing.”

  
“Ah, right, unfortunate indeed.” The awkwardness was palpable, but Sokka would rather endure it than return to Longbourn, and so decided to push his luck, “Is the overseeing urgent business? I must confess that I am rather desperate to be occupied at the moment, as the other residents at Longbourn. . .are not to my liking, to put it simply. Though I understand that you are busy and I am a mere acquaintance that you have every right to turn away.”

  
Darcy went quiet for a moment, as Sokka mentally berated himself for his manners--he didn’t even like Darcy! And yet here he was, begging him to entertain him AND having danced closely with him the night prior!-- and even beginning to apologise aloud as Darcy interrupted him.

  
“Would fencing be to your taste? I am afraid the more rural sports require more equipment than what I have on hand, but I have yet to close up the training room.” The other man’s tone was somehow softer than Sokka had ever heard, though the younger didn’t know what to make of the change in tone.

  
Sokka continued to fidget, now wondering what exactly he had gotten himself into, “I am not opposed to sparring, but I must admit it has been a few years since my lessons, and I have no partner at home with which to practice.” In all reality it had only been four years, considerably less than Darcy’s ten, but considering he had only been taught for ten years instead of the usual twelve and truly had not picked up a sword since his lessons, Sokka was still at the disadvantage.

  
“I am sure you do yourself a disservice, Mr. Bennet.” A near smile, sending Sokka deeper into his spiral of questioning what exactly he was doing.

  
Nevertheless, Sokka smiled fully in return, “Please lead the way.”

  
Along their walk through the bustling halls, Darcy continued the conversation, despite seeming not accustomed to such practices, “You will be a better partner than Aang, at any rate. He is far too good of an airbender to be a decent swordsman.”

  
It took a moment for Sokka to place Aang as Mr. Bingley, but chuckled as politely as possible, “One would think his earthbending prowess would balance that out.”

  
The smile this time was full and lasted a moment longer, though Darcy did not turn back to meet Sokka’s eyes, “One might think that, but Aang would have to be the exception. The married Mr. Hurst refuses to learn the art, citing he is satisfied enough with his airbending. Momo is the better sparring partner of the three brothers, though I cannot tell if that is due to his lack of bending or his constant need to try and outperform his brothers.”

  
“In my experience, it is probably a combination of the two.” Sokka continued to jest, though the words drew parallels in his own experiences.

  
Darcy reached the final door and held it open for Sokka, as if the younger man were a poised, elegant lady instead of a young man who had recently ran three miles after a rather disastrous breakfast. Sokka did his best to be flattered, but thankfully any underlying bitterness was quickly extinguished as they continued into the fencing room. While originally the reception hall may have been designed for music or bending demonstrations, the furniture had been cleared and rapiers displayed to mark it clearly as a room for dueling instead (perhaps explaining why Mr. Bingley had neglected to have a bending demonstration hall, though Sokka doubted this room had been used for bending in many years, due to lack of earth covering the floor). Darcy led Sokka further into the room to where the foils they were to use were held. The scarred man picked his own out and held another for Sokka to use, both already dulled and possessing blossoms from previous use.

  
Sokka watched as Darcy walked back to the cleared area, twisting the foil about to gauge the weapon’s effectiveness. This was not unusual in any sense, bar the fact that Darcy was wielding his blade in his left hand, though as soon as he saw Sokka staring he switched to his right.

  
“Do you naturally favor your left?” Sokka knew most superstitions would point towards this marking Darcy as evil, but Sokka had never been a superstitious person.

  
“I did, as a child. My first tutor encouraged it,” His head inclined to the side as he talked, stray hair falling over his scar, “My next tutor, my uncle, was quick to correct me.”

  
Sokka had no idea how to interpret that, and therefore didn’t, “I never understood those superstitions, myself. I favor both, and my uncle as my tutor encouraged me to learn both as well.”

  
Darcy seemed to relax slightly at the confession, “I would love to relearn the left style of fighting, but--” the scar that marked the left side of his face was left acknowledged in all but name, “Though anytime I use my right hand, Aang is quick to point out how airbenders see the left as good luck, so I can never get a moment’s peace about it all.”

  
Sokka finally assumed his position across from Darcy, choosing to fight with his right as Zuko did the same. As no third party was present to act as referee, both men seemed comfortable enough in Darcy calling the allez and each being fair enough to acknowledge their respective hits, deciding that they would simply practice each bout until a significant enough blow was landed that the party hit agreed to a reset, as the room was not built for any other style.

  
“Allez!” And away they went, Sokka immediately taking the offensive as Zuko parried with practiced ease. The first bout was a simple back and forth of not much consequence, with neither man having enough confidence or desperation to move unpredictably. Eventually Darcy landed a harsh jab to Sokka’s ribs, and the younger man conceded to his loss. Conversation resumed as they resumed their starting positions, though each man was slightly more out of breath and definitely sweater from the exercise.

  
Sokka pulled at his overcoat to try and cool himself off, “Is fencing a common pastime for you, then? Do you have the opportunity to practice often?”

  
“Not as often as I would like.” Darcy replied shortly before resuming his position and calling the next, “Allez!”

  
Sokka was slightly thrown off by the sudden dismissal of conversation, something he had believed Darcy to be past at this point in their acquaintance, and couldn’t help but hesitate in his combination of frustration and disappointment. Darcy took this opportunity to lunge first, blade reaching Sokka’s guard with a clattering noise before being parried at the last possible moment. Sokka was forced to retreat, though his step was too big and he found himself back against the bench at the dusty and unused pianoforte. He had been taught to always be on balance, and to use his surroundings whenever necessary, and so lept upon the bench without a second thought, using Darcy’s surprise to gain the upper hand.

  
“Aha!” Sokka cried, like the dramatic man he is, forcing Darcy to retreat and leaping back onto the solid ground, though this time with the foil held in his left hand to again keep Darcy on his guard. His offense was impeccable, but once Darcy began to recognise his movements, the two were once again at a stalemate, with the repetitive lunges and parries seemingly endless. It was only a commotion outside of the room--servants moving furniture, probably, though the sound was not major enough to concern either of the two men--the caused Darcy to falter, head whipping completely sideways to better gauge what exactly the noise was, all the while leaving him open to the assertive blow that Sokka lands in the middle of the older man’s sternum. Darcy turned back in shock, but nodded his head to acknowledge Sokka’s win.

  
“Do you need to see what that noise was?” Sokka asked, completely out of breath and completely distracted by the way Darcy’s eyes positively lit up when fighting.

  
Darcy stared at the door for a moment, then shook his head, “If it’s important, I am sure someone will make me aware of it before I depart.”

  
Both men’s attention was then forced towards the grandfather clock that ticked proudly from the other side of the pianoforte. Sokka struggled to read the time from his view of the clock, and really only had one reason to be concerned with the time, so he asked aloud, “And when is it you depart, exactly?”

  
“I have two hours yet, though. . .” His eyes narrowed at the clock, and then at the saber in his hand, lost in thought. Sokka was on the verge of excusing himself, feeling as if he had overstayed his welcome already, whenever Darcy’s eyes returned to him, “Perhaps one last bout?”

  
Sokka smiled despite himself--the thoughts of Collins and Wickham almost entirely removed from his stream of consciousness-- and readied himself once again. Darcy’s previous defensive strategy was a thing of the past, as the man assumed the offensive role with a quick step. His eyes were aflame in concentration, and Sokka once again struggled to keep up against the tirade. Switching back to his right hand helped him slightly, as it forced Darcy to adjust his strategy, but the fighting still seemed to be an even match. Sokka had managed to turn Darcy slightly, pushing him back towards the wall with every lunge. Darcy was moving with speed and agility, though light enough on his feet to keep himself moving. Sokka realised too late why exactly the scarred man was allowing himself to be pushed backwards.

  
Darcy’s blows were suddenly twice as forceful, bending and twisting Sokka’s wrist as the younger man continued to parry. Until suddenly the saber was aimed toward the side of Sokka’s head, forcing the other man to suddenly retreat and to alter his stance severely to avoid the illegal hit. However, as he struggled to avoid the blow, Darcy had pivoted on his heels and grabbed something from behind him: a second foil, just as practice-ready as the first. Sokka wanted to complain that the additional weapon was not only illegal but also blatantly unfair, but he didn’t have the time to do so as the onslaught that Darcy rained upon him became harder and harder to parry away. He managed to last a few minutes longer, but eventually Darcy landed a blow on Sokka’s hip and the younger man was forced to concede the assault.

  
“Two sabres, however, was quite unfair of you,” Sokka meant the comment as a jest, though he quickly realised how poorly it could be taken. Thankfully, Darcy gave his signature half-smile in response.

  
“I was simply using my surroundings to my advantage,” Darcy managed to quote Sokka’s tutor almost exactly, all the while smirking at his victory.

  
Sokka laughed good-naturedly and continued to jest, “My tutor often used those exact words against me, though I honored him with my earlier strategy as opposed to outright cheating.”

  
“You go too far, sir,” Darcy said in return, causing Sokka’s heart to plummet before he realised that Darcy was also jesting, “Master Piandao always said that cheating was only considered dishonorable if your opponent was someone you are indebted to. In all other contexts, there is no such thing.”

  
Sokka took a second to process the words as he handed the foil he had been using back over to Darcy, only to nearly gasp, “You trained with Master Piandao?”

  
Darcy nodded, with an odd look on his face. Upon first glance, he appeared almost smug at the reaction, though upon further inspection Sokka concluded that the man actually seemed to be embarrassed by the bragging. A true dichotomy.

  
“I also trained under him! He is the elder brother of my late mother,” Sokka was too caught up in his excitement to realise what he was admitting with this confession; while Mr. Paindao was renowned for his fencing prowess, his family was of middle-class origin, and therefore Sokka’s position of lower gentility was further diminished. But Sokka thought nothing of this until Darcy’s countenance again turned sour and stormy, lost in thoughts that looked rather unpleasant indeed. He went completely silent as he stored the blades properly, leaving Sokka to his own anxieties.

  
“I shall escort you out.” Darcy said simply, again resorting to short phrases and words instead of the light, jesting tone he and Sokka had shared previously. Sokka nodded and allowed himself be led back the way they came, though his mind growing increasingly turbulent with every step--was Darcy really so proud as to cast Sokka aside from a few lower class relations? Was this the last time he and Darcy would ever see one another? If you had asked him the day prior, Sokka would have sworn vehemently that he would be all the happier with Darcy’s departure, but after these hours of kindness he was suddenly afloat in a sea of confusion. Such thoughts kept him occupied until they reached the main drive, where Sokka would depart from.

  
Darcy had returned to not meeting Sokka’s eyes and remaining silent, so Sokka took the opportunity to speak, “I greatly enjoyed our sparring today, Mr. Darcy. If I may ask, do you know if you shall be returning to Netherfield?”

  
Darcy’s eyes, though still cast out towards the grounds, crinkled slightly as he responded in a low tone, “I am afraid that I am overdue with business elsewhere, and do not know if I shall return to this estate in the future, especially if Aang decides to quit it.”

  
Sokka nodded in oddly mournful agreement, “I am sorry to hear it, I am afraid that the company was a wonderful alteration to Hertfordshire’s landscape.” Darcy remained silent, face turbulent, and Sokka decided that he really had screwed it all up this time, “My apologies if I have interfered with your travel plans, sir. I shall leave you to them, and I wish you the best on your future endeavours.”

  
He turned to leave, only to be halted in his step by Darcy saying in the oddest tone, “I hope you find your situation improved at home, Mr. Bennet. I wish you the best.”

  
Sokka forced himself to smile back at the man, who did not return it. He scolded himself again for such emotional, irrational behavior--for surely that was the reason for Darcy’s odd response-- and marched his way back to Longbourn, dreading every step and feeling oddly cold in his chest despite the sun overhead. He blames the wind.

  
Returning to Longbourn felt as if emerging from an ice cold river onto an aflame riverbank. He could hear Gran Gran shouting from somewhere inside the house Hakoda’s low tones responding in turn, with his sisters taking eerily silent refuge on a bench at the edge of the property and Mr. Collins nowhere to be heard nor seen. Sokka quickly decided that he wanted nothing to do with the chaos happening inside of the house, and that hiding out with his sisters was a very agreeable alternative. There was no room left on the bench for him to join them, and he had not yet recovered his strength from the sparring and then the three mile trek, so he promptly fell to the ground before them, gazing up at the bespeckled sky as he tried to catch his breath.

  
His sisters were appropriately confused by his appearance, though it took a moment for Katara to speak, “Sokka, while I am glad you have decided to return home after several hours of worrying, may I ask what exactly you were up to that led to your rather disarranged and perspirative appearance?”

  
Despite his anxieties still eating away at his mind--with the new addition of How should he tell Katara that Mr. Bingley has left indefinitely without saying goodbye?-- Sokka chuckled, “Oh, I am sure you would not like any part of my response, dear sister.”

  
Ty Lee began giggling as Katara’s face became even more horrified as she let her imagination run wild. It took Sokka a moment to realise how awfully that could be interpreted, and hurried to explain himself properly, “I visited Netherfield Park, intending to drop in on our beloved Mr. Bingley. He was,” Sokka hesitated, “. . . absent, though Mr. Darcy was there. We engaged in a few bouts of fencing, hence my appearance, and now I have returned to face whatever hellscape I have left in my wake after this morning. I assume that’s what Dad and Gran Gran are arguing about?”

  
“You should have heard them after you left! Papa refused to stop laughing, and Gran Gran screamed herself hoarse after you, and then whenever you did not return she begged Mr. Collins to stay!” Ty Lee giggled in her usual tone of gossip, which was for once much to Sokka’s delight.

  
“He’s gone? Permanently?”

  
Katara looked disproving at how openly Sokka cheered, but nodded to confirm his hopes, “Yue called upon the house as Gran Gran was trying to convince him to stay, and, in an attempt to soothe the chaos, invited him to the Lucases’ for the evening. Gran Gran attempted to persuade Yue to invite us all for supper this evening as well, but Yue seemed to think it was not in her best interest to invite this mess to her doorstep, and left quickly after. I dare say we shall not be seeing much more of Mr. Collins after today.”

  
“Good riddance,” Sokka murmured mainly to himself, but the breeze carried it to his sisters’ ears nonetheless. Ty Lee again giggled at him, while Katara continued to be dissatisfied with his conduct. He met his elder sister’s eyes only briefly before attempting to defend himself, “You should have seen him, Katara. I am not sure what all you heard through the doors, but his manner was even worse then than mine is now! He was constantly dismissing my status, my masculinity, and even my basic rights, with his hands on my person the entire time! You must excuse me wanting him as far from Longbourn as possible.”

  
Katara’s scolding look turned to one more scandalized, while Ty Lee’s eyes lit up in her usual curiosity, “He had his hands on you, and you refused him? Some might consider themselves lucky--”

  
Katara’s wide eyes turned to her younger sister, looking to be one moment away from slapping some sense into the girl, screeching, “Ty Lee! That is not appropriate!”

  
Ty Lee giggled through her shrug, “What? You cannot admit that Mr. Collins was altogether unpleasant to look at, Katara, though he was far too dull for my tastes.”

  
Sokka nearly snorted into his laugh at Katara’s severe expression, “While others may very well find him attractive, Ty Lee, I can assure you that I found no pleasure in his offensive and overbearing attempts at intimacy. Hence the sword.”

  
“I cannot believe you two!” Katara’s tone was some odd combination of scandalized and angry, “Sokka admits that our cousin, who is to inherit Longbourn and can turn us out of the house in a moment whenever father dies, molested Sokka to the point where Sokka felt the need to hold him at swordspoint, and you two manage to laugh at his good looks yet dull personality? This is a scandal! He should be publicly shamed after such actions!”

  
Sokka simply sighed at his sister’s optimism, his jovial mood dissipating entirely as he was faced with the harsh reality, “Katara, no one will take my word for it. And even if they do believe me, by some miracle, what happens then? He returns to his wealthy patron and his loyal parish, none of whom care about rural gossip, while I am reduced to an even worse reputation for allowing it to go as far as it did. It is better forgotten.”

  
Neither sister liked what Sokka was saying, but both were weary enough of the world and of their society to silently agree. However, this did not stop Ty Lee from adding, “That is assuming Gran Gran lets you live to see tomorrow.”

  
Sokka cringed into the grass, “Is it better to face her now, or do you think her temper will cool eventually?”

  
As if on cue, the screaming that had been contained within the house became clearer as two sets of feet made their way towards the siblings. Sokka attempted to hide himself behind his sisters’ dresses and the bench, but was spotted by his father instantly as the man came up beside his daughters.

  
“Ah, so this is where you all had run off to. Sokka, a word in my office?” Sokka sighed and hauled himself up, only to be met with his grandmother’s fury head-on.

  
“Sokka Bennet! You ungrateful, disobedient child! How dare you not come when asked for? And how dare you disgrace your family so! You had no right--”

  
“Mother, I beg of you, let the boy tell his side of the story.” Hakoda continued to lead them back to his office, leaving the girls to their bench.

  
“And you, Hakoda! He is disrespectful to you, to myself, to the name of Bennet, and yet you still defend him? You are encouraging his betrayal!” The group reentered the house, with Hakoda taking his usual seat in his office at his desk and leaving Sokka and Kanna to the other two seats. When everyone is seated and Kanna seemed to run out of breath, Hakoda gestured for Sokka to begin speaking.

  
“I will admit, father, that I should have responded to Gran Gran’s yells and acknowledged the situation immediately after it happened. However, I have no regret in refusing Mr. Collins, and I even more so do not regret my haste to extract myself from the situation. His words and actions were entirely dishonorable, and no amount of inheritance could force me into marrying a man who acts in such a manner.”

  
Hakoda looked impressed at Sokka’s blunt confession, while Kanna was refuelled, “Listen to yourself! You are a gentleman’s son, yes, but a son with no inheritance to his name! You must consider that in every word, in every action! Do you know what he is bound to say about you? He could ruin your reputation with ease, and then you will be forced into working for your livelihood like some--”

  
“Mother, I am forced to remind you that several of the people I care deeply for were and are middle class, and I will not hear any comments against their livelihoods. If Sokka does not find a partner that allows him to marry up, it is perfectly respectable for him to find a profession of his own.”

  
“Oh please, is that what you want for your son, Hakoda? To slave away at a profession, like Kya’s family struggled so? Or is this you still defending that accursed naval officer--”

  
“Sokka is not marrying Mr. Collins, mother. That matter is final. And I politely request that we all go our separate ways, as apparently nothing positive can come of any current discussion.” With that, he opened his newspaper in front of him, blocking out everyone else in the room. Kanna huffed slightly, but relented and left the room without further comment. Sokka stood to leave as well, but Hakoda put the paper down for a moment.

  
“And Sokka? I want you to know that I am genuine when I say I am proud of you no matter what path you take in life. Your grandmother is, too, but you know how she worries about you and your sisters finding suitable matches. She will return to hating Mr. Collins soon enough, and then everything will be as it should.”

  
Sokka swallowed the mess of emotions filling his mind and nodded, waiting for his father to resume his reading before quitting the office and again fleeing into the great outdoors, though the sun was beginning to take on more color as it sunk in the sky. He knew his state of mind was far from stable, after the chaos that today had been, but he could not stop the guilt that drew him outside to seek out Katara. She deserved to know that Bingley was gone, and he couldn’t bear it if she were to hear it through the eventual gossip whenever he could tell her now.

  
“Oh, you lived!” Ty Lee remarked playfully as Sokka approached the two girls, who were now taking a stroll about the garden, “Did you end up engaged after all?”

  
Sokka cringed at the mere idea, “No, thank the spirits. Gran Gran got a little too close to a sore spot for Dad and he declared the discussion over with.” He turned to his elder sister, “Though I’m afraid I need to correct part of my earlier story, and I doubt you will appreciate it.”

  
The girls took on faces of intrigue, though said nothing in response, so Sokka continued, “It is all true for the most part, but I was misleading when I said Bingley was away from the house. In all truth, he and his relations have quitted Netherfield for the time being, and they departed in their carriage moments before I arrived. Darcy remained to close up the house, though I believe he has also quit the estate by now. I am so sorry, Katara.”

  
Katara herself had stopped and held herself completely still, both of her siblings watching her in worry as tears silently began to form and she said silently, “Are you sure? He wouldn’t-- I don’t-- so soon? Without saying goodbye?”

  
Ty Lee wrapped her arm around her older sister as Sokka nodded, “I saw him leave myself, Katara. Darcy said he had urgent business in London and that he wasn’t sure when--if Bingley would return. I am sure it must be very urgent business indeed, but he may still return to Netherfield, you can’t lose hope yet.”

  
“Urgent business cannot be helped, I suppose,” Katara admitted, though she did not cheer any, “Ty Lee, I am afraid I must cut our walk short, I am not feeling too well.”

  
Ty Lee, though perhaps often too harsh in her manner, thankfully had enough sense to know better than to argue, and instead distracted Katara with silly talk all the way back to the house, with Sokka left out in the yard on his own. He knew he could walk back with them--that Gran Gran had probably cooled off against him, that Katara might need further comfort than what Ty Lee could give her--but he stayed rooted in place. Instead of doing any of that, Sokka simply walked deep into the tree line and screamed, for the world was much too complicated and frustrating for any sort of rational action or thought. Without his wits to guide him, Sokka felt simultaneously lost and trapped all at once--which, in his mind, were completely rational reasons to scream in rebellion into the unforgiving ether.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Summary: The morning after the ball at Netherfield Park, the Bennet family's breakfast is interrupted by their guest, Mr. Hahn Collins, who requests a private audience with Sokka. The rest of the family quickly leaves, and Hahn formally proposes to Sokka in perhaps the worst way possible: he talks down about Sokka's financial situation, about his supposed lack of masculinity, and is just all-around super insulting (while constantly touching Sokka, as if to endear himself to the younger man through physical affection). Sokka refuses several times, though Hahn keeps trying until Sokka pulls the decorative sword from the mantel and has to threaten his way out of the house. Sokka flees and ends up at Netherfield Park, where he learns the Bingleys have quit the estate (perhaps forever) from Darcy, who stayed behind to close up the property while the rest of the group went to London. Sokka is disappointed that he can't spend time with Aang to get his mind off of things, and, in his desperation, asks Darcy if he is free right now. Darcy shows empathy and suggests fencing, so the two men spend a few hours sparring in Netherfield. They get along pretty well at some points, but towards the end Sokka mentions that his maternal uncle is Piandao, who it turns out taught both Sokka and Darcy fencing. Sokka realises after he said it that revealing this relation degrades his rank in society (as the Piandaos are middle class, not gentility), and as he realises this, Darcy returns to his stormy, brooding, quiet self and escorts Sokka out of Netherfield (though they share a nice goodbye as they part, so Sokka really doesn't know what to think). Sokka returns to Longbourn, where Gran Gran yells at him and Hakoda for Sokka's actions, with Hakoda eventually putting his foot down and ending the discussion entirely. In the end, Sokka breaks the bad news of Bingley's departure to Katara, and overall feels awful about the world.
> 
> That summary is further evidence that I cannot write anything short to save my life, but I hope that helps anyone who felt uncomfortable with the themes presented in this chapter! I know that this is heavier than both AtLA and P&P, but I struggled to characterise the douchebaggery of Hahn and somehow this was the result. Hopefully it all flows with the rest of the story, and that any Hahn/Mr. Collins apologists forgive me (if such people even exist ?). Anyway, please leave feedback and I hope you enjoyed!


	6. What Choice is There?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yue reveals her engagement and is subsequently married. Piandao and his husband visit, and take Katara back with them to London in hopes she might see Aang. Azula begins to endears herself further to the remaining Bennet siblings, but abandons that pursuit once a Mr. Chan of large fortune visits Hertfordshire. Sokka is sad about most of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some serious Yuekka moments in this chapter, but its completely platonic as 1. Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Lucas weren't romantically involved to my knowledge and 2. I just love writing them as platonic soulmates because we need more platonic soulmates in fiction. Anyway, please leave feedback and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

The next was an oddly quiet one, at least for Sokka. Katara was devastated and took to her room, while Ty Lee and Gran Gran left the estate and visited the militia (Sokka had been invited, but he was unsure of how to face Ms. Wickham after his cordial exchanges with Mr. Darcy the day prior--it was not a betrayal, but it was near enough to give him pause). Hakoda was usually absent from Sokka’s daily routines, so this was no surprise. However, this did not render Sokka any less wanting of company. He hadn’t even the option of calling upon Yue, less he risk facing Mr. Collins again, and so he was in effect confined to Longbourn. His day was spent mostly hunting, though his pointer Hawky (theoretically named for her ruthlessness, though Sokka had been quite young when naming her) was somehow less enthusiastic than he was, and he did not come away with anything of significance. Nevertheless, it was a good day of distraction, for the following day would bring the chaos once again.

The chaos began with Mr. Collins, once again, who visited Longbourn only briefly before departing in order to properly say his goodbyes. His day away, in addition to whatever grovelling Kanna had done after Sokka’s refusal, seemed to heal his surface wounds, for he addressed everyone with the same foolish, arrogant niceties, including Sokka himself. Sokka was thankful that the man did not come too close to him, though he was unsure what would happen if Collins had tried touching him again--he was just very sure that it would be unpleasant for all involved. It all went according to expectation, bar the final goodbyes as Mr. Collins stood before his carriage.

“--And, of course, I shall be excited to visit you all once again as soon as my Patron allows me! He is ever so generous, but does push me in order to aid me stray from idleness. If these following months those that are filled with work, I shall be very glad to see you all again at the wedding in January!”

This comment seemed to make sense to Kanna and Kanna only, though her face turned slightly sour at the reminder. They wished him farewell yet again and, finally, the man departed from Longbourn to return to Hunsford. The family waited for him to depart before returning inside, with the sisters accompanying Gran Gran to the drawing room for their embroidery and gossip (Sokka knew if he attended, any of Kanna’s proper gossip would be refrained from due to her still being displeased with him, so he returned to his room to practice his chess).

He had scarcely set up a new game whenever he heard a commotion begin on the ground floor. He assumed it was his female relatives becoming particularly spirited in the conversation, returning to scrutinising his pawns. However, his first move was interrupted by a servant, who opened the door wide and announced Yue Lucas’ wish to see him. The woman in question entered the room soon after, though both knew it inappropriate for any private conversation to happen behind closed doors. Instead, they decided to take a stroll about the grounds, where they may be visible to all but hopefully overheard by none (as was their usual routine).

They reached the edge of the gardens, and Sokka extended his arm for her to begin their walk. With an awkward blush, she declined to take his arm entirely, and so the beginning of the promenade was left to Sokka stewing in confused silence while Yue struggled to find her words.

“Sokka, I-- I am sorry,” her pace slowed as she talked, and Sokka was forced to slow without any guidance from her, so as to better keep up, “I am afraid you will not like the news I am about to tell you, if the gossip surrounding you and Mr. Collins is indeed correct.”

Sokka steeled himself, “May I inquire what the gossip entails?”

“You know I don’t want to anger you,” Yue said softly, “I wish instead to hear what actually happened, so that my news may be told accordingly.”

Sokka had never been able to keep secrets from Yue, and this situation was no different. He included every detail of that fateful day, from Collins’s invasive proposal to his confusing encounter with Darcy. Yue reacted appropriately, though she kept quiet and kept her distance between herself and Sokka. Even as her expressions were kind and sympathetic, the news she withheld still haunted him from truly enjoying any moment of the visit thus far. When he finally finishes his tale, he notices the great sadness that had taken over Yue’s countenance even as she turned away to stifle her ever-present cough.

“What’s wrong? It’s all in the past now, there is nothing to be sad about.” Sokka tried to reassure his friend, but she shook her head and shook off his attempt at patting her shoulder.

“It is all in the past for you, but I am afraid for myself, as selfish as that sounds,” her hand reached up to the collar of her chemisette, where she now wore a dark, unfamiliar necklace, “When I invited Mr. Collins to Lucas Lodge that day, I was hoping to give you time to recover in your own home. But then my father and Mr. Collins began to talk to one another in private, and he began talking to me whenever possible. I was foolish and flattered, and let his affections be received too well. Yesterday morning, he proposed to me-- though he was careful never to touch me, for which I am grateful--”

“You accepted him?” For a few moments, Sokka had hoped in vain the necklace wasn’t one of betrothal, but was no fool to where her story was heading. She faced away from him and nodded, though kept silent as he continued, “But, he hasn’t any sense about him! He is a man of pure arrogance! How could you ever be happy with him?”

Yue, ever composed, just sighed, “Sokka, you cannot judge me for this decision. While he is not the ideal man in any sense, you know as well as I that it isn’t that simple. If money and housing and inheritances meant nothing, we could have married two years ago, and been happy enough. But I am nearly an old maid, with no other suitors to be heard of, as each did not deem me worthy enough to pay for the medicines and doctors that I require. Mr. Collins is not ideal, but he has a patron who pays him well and provides adequate lodging, and if I am lucky he will not expect children of me, especially after he expressed interest in you. I must take anything that is offered to me at my age and condition.”

Sokka had to once again fight to suppress his rage at the entire frustration, “And that is why you refuse to take my arm? Or look at me for longer than necessary? Is that his doing?”

“No! That is my own decision, Sokka. It already hurts me to see you rage against him, and I cannot bear the thought of leaving you and your family behind, so I am trying to lessen the pain for both of us. He has not forced me to do anything against my wishes, of that I can assure you.” Her hand had not left her necklace as she spoke, and Sokka noticed that the charm she grasped was free of all carving, which did nothing to soothe him.

“He cannot even carve you a proper necklace and yet he is accepted!” Sokka knows that his response was not proper to her’s, and that his temper was overtaking him yet again, but he felt powerless to do anything about it.

“Sokka, look at me,” Yue took both his hands in hers, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks, “I am the one most tolerant of you ranting, but as of right now I am forbidding you from saying such things. I must learn to be content with this situation, and I need you to help me with that. You are my closest friend, and I need your support in these difficult times, and I am asking that you put aside your hatred for him and instead focus on your love for me. Can you do that, please?”

Sokka hated crying. He preferred getting angry to crying, no matter how ill-bred that could make him seem. It didn’t matter much to him--he’d always preferred being seen as a badly-tempered man than as a feminine one. He had struggled his entire life to be this picture of masculinity, but even such a facade was no match for what was currently happening. It was unfair to Yue for him to retain his anger, and so he did his best to calm himself, but he could not do both at once; he could not keep his masculine image while being so fundamentally upset. And so, in the privacy of a few lines of well-manicured trees, he began to cry in front of someone for the first time in many years. And Yue, like the genuinely kind soul she is, gave up her vow of distance in order to hug him tightly, as they both mourned what could have been. The emotional moment did not last, however, as Sokka pulled away as soon as he felt his tears begin to dry.

“I apologise--” Sokka began, cutting off Yue’s attempt to speak, “Not for this moment, but for all the moments before and all those to follow.”

Yue found the strength to smile at him, “Do not apologise for what has gotten us here, Sokka, for you still are my closest companion and I would not want it any other way. Though, may I request that you write and visit as often as you can? My father is already planning to visit in early March, and I hope you will consent to accompany him.”

“Of course! And Mr. Collins seemed to forgive my insults earlier today, so I think all will be well.” Sokka knew he was attempting to convince himself as well as Yue, but tried to keep up a facade of confidence.

“As do I,” Yue continued to smile, though the sadness in her eyes was unmistakable for Sokka. Nevertheless, he smiled in return, and allowed her to be the next to speak, “Now, may I suggest we return inside? I am afraid all of this has left me quite fatigued.”

~

The engagement occurred at the end of November, though the wedding was set to be at the very beginnings of January, so as to give Mr. Collins ample time to conduct his usual holiday sermons. The first few weeks of December were relatively peaceful for the Bennet family, with the only events consisting of the usual assemblies and the occasional festivity including the militia. The first of which, a daytime visitation by the Bennet siblings scarcely a week after the ball at Netherfield, saw Sokka making quite a fool of himself as Ms. Wickham arrived to the event in full regalia and sought him out exclusively--such attention which was sure to fluster Sokka’s already devoted senses.

“There you are, Mr. Bennet,” Ms. Wickham’s smile was slight, which complimented her visage (at least, to Sokka’s biased eye), “I must heartily apologise for my absence at Netherfield Ball, for I was ever so excited to join the full company of Hertfordshire.”

All thoughts and conflicting feelings regarding Wickham and Darcy immediately left Sokka’s mind as he began nodding in earnest, “Of course, of course, your fellow officers told me of your urgent business.”

“I am glad to hear it. Though, I must admit, my reasons were more personal than I let on to the other officers,” She leaned in close, causing Sokka to feel the heat she exuded naturally, “After careful thought, I deemed it better for Zuko and I to not have any public reunions, for I fear scenes might arise unpleasant to more than myself.”

Sokka started to respond, only to be interrupted by Ty Lee, who had taken a small break from her crowd of officer admirers to grab Wickham’s elbow and attempt to pull her away from Sokka, “Azula! May you be so kind as to teach me how to play this card game? The other officers are teasing me for not being familiar with it!”

The card game, if one had even been suggested, was on the entirely opposite end of the room from where Ty Lee and her crowd had been congregated, but Sokka tried his best not to feel cheated as Wickham smiled down at Ty Lee, “How rude of them, Ms. Ty Lee. May I escort you to the cards table? It might be beneficial to actually have the cards before you.”

“Oh, splendid! And, of course, Chamberlayne, Bankes and Warde will also be playing, so I’m afraid Sokka will have to sit this round out,” Ty Lee said smugly, obviously proud of her ploy. Sokka glared at her as the group migrated over to the cards table, Sokka deciding instead to join Katara in talking to the Colonel and his wife instead. He and Wickham continuously snuck glances across the room for the rest of the visit, but had no other chance to talk for the time being.

The festivities with the militia, be they assemblies or simple visits such as this, often went exactly like this. Wickham and Sokka would seek one another out at the very beginning, and Wickham would talk while Sokka tried not to profess his attraction in that very moment. However, before Sokka could attempt to endear her to him, Ty Lee would find a way to either join them or separate them, effectively ruining any of Sokka’s chances to court Wickham, usually for the rest of their time together. Sokka had tried talking to Ty Lee about it, but she claimed to have every right to Azula’s attention and could not be reasoned with. Sokka decided he would take whatever he could get.

The holidays came and went with no major occasion, though the Bennets were disappointed whenever the poor weather prevented their Uncles Piandao from visiting as they usually did, with their trip eventually delayed for late January. Sokka was perhaps the most disappointed, as he always loved visiting with Uncle Piandao (though Uncle Jeong Jeong had no patience for children, no matter how adult the children actually were). 

The next event was the wedding between Yue and Mr. Collins, which went about as well as a January wedding could go. The church was cold, with Yue being particularly affected and struggling not to cough through the ceremony. Mr. Collins seemed hesitant to kiss her to seal the marriage--as if she was contagious, as if she wasn’t the kindest and most gorgeous woman Sokka knew, as if she was somehow disgusting to him--but did so anyway, and then the two were married. The weather turned worse right as the ceremony came to a close (Gran Gran called it a bad omen, while Sokka was resolute that it had been looking on the verge of rain all day, and that it meant nothing at all for his dear friend), which left the newlyweds some extra time to mingle with the guests before their departure. Yue took this opportunity to pull Sokka aside and say goodbye as privately as they could manage it.

“I shall depend on hearing from you very often, Sokka,” Yue said as she looked up at him, “Though you must promise to better your handwriting, for I wish to be able to read what you write to me.”

Sokka huffed good-naturedly, “Only the best for you, your highness. But be certain that I shall write to you constantly, legibly or not.”

Yue smiled the brightest she had all day, “I am glad to hear it. And you are sure you will be able to visit with my father in March? I am afraid Mr. Collins will not want to travel much in these upcoming months so I may not see you otherwise.”

“I am completely sure, and have even confirmed the plans with your father myself. Though I think he still wishes we had gotten married instead, truth be told. He does not seem too happy today.”

Yue sighed but nodded, “I must agree with that. He seems to like Mr. Collins well enough when he is nearby, but Mr. Collins’ letters thanking my father this last month have turned my father rather against him. He does his best not to show his anger towards my husband, same as you, but I know you both too well.”

“Oh, dearest!” Mr. Collins’ voice was distant, and Sokka took the last opportunity to squeeze Yue’s hands before the man himself bounded towards them, “Oh, and cousin Sokka, of course. I am afraid I must steal my bride from you, for the weather has finally cleared and it is time for our departure.”

The couple waves goodbye to the congregation until the carriage turns away, and Sokka has to force a smile on his face until he is sure she cannot see him. 

~

The Piandaos visit at the end of January, perfectly on the readjusted schedule. Their visit is not as long, with no holidays to give them extra time away from their lessons (with Uncle Jeong teaching firebending while Uncle Paindao continued to teach fencing to young gentlemen). They play occasional games and dine often with the family and accompany them to assemblies, but the visit is not of much excitement. They are gone almost as soon as they arrive, but, as their visit drew to a close, Uncle Piandao brought up something to make Sokka’s life even worse.

“Katara, am I to understand that your melancholy disposition these days is due to a man who left you for London?” He was blunt, as he always was, though always gentler than Jeong Jeong, who remained silent.

Katara was embarrassed at the question, but hesitantly nodded, “He and I have no particular attachment--”

“Nonsense, girl. You two were days away from an engagement,” Kanna cut in, not even eyeing the others at the table as if to emphasise what she perceived as a fact. Katara blushed, but did not deny it.

Piandao nodded, “Your Uncle and I would be glad to take you with us to London, if that is agreeable to you. We have lessons in the city for the next year at least, though we can accompany you back to Longbourn at any time if you so choose.”

“Aw, how come--” TY Lee began to complain, as she was wont to do, but Katara cut her off.

“I would love that, Uncle.” 

And, just like that, the two people Sokka was closest two in his life left him. Katara swore she would return soon, but Sokka knew better. He knew she would stay in London until she saw Bingley and gotten him to explain his absence, and he knew that whatever had forced Bingley away would also do its best to keep Katara from her goal. He doubted he would see her before he left for Kent, and as the weeks passed, he was unfortunately proved correct.

Both of them wrote to him, and he in return, of course. Yue told of her new house, and of Mr. Collins’ patron--who was apparently terrifying, if Sokka was reading between the lines correctly--and Sokka responded to her in turn with tales of Hertfordshire in her absence and reminiscing about old stories. Katara wrote about how Momo Bingley was the only one to respond to her letters--though he kept managing to avoid seeing her, despite also being in London--and how she wished their Uncles were in similar circles to the Bingleys so this would all be made easier. Sokka tried to console her, but also suggested reasons why the family would be acting so strangely towards her, if only to prepare her for any bad news. She refused every single one of his theories, even when Momo Bingley finally did visit and was cold and unfeeling towards her.

To make matters worse, Azula Wickham also seemed to turn against him. Not in a cold or malicious way, but a deliberate way nonetheless. A young man, a Mr. Chan, visited his relatives in Hertfordshire and attended one of the assemblies, where he and Ms. Wickham were introduced. He himself had just inherited quite a large fortune, though he was still too young to be in charge of it as a bachelor. Ms. Wickham showed a special interest in him, and began to talk to the Bennet family less and less as a result. Ty Lee was just short of heartbroken about it, often taking solace in whatever other officer was nearby. Kanna was also upset about the news, for at this point she had met the admirable Ms. Wickham and had begun hoping that she would make a fine match for either Ty Lee or Sokka, depending on her preference and fortune. 

Sokka, despite being in general melancholy, found himself rather unbothered by her drifting affection. He felt his usual bitterness about his lack of money and title resulting in lack of partner rise again, but that was all the strong emotion he could muster for the situation. Ty Lee accused him of never caring for Azula at all, which he found insulting, but he could not deny with good conscience. Sure, the woman was agreeable and very pleasing in appearance, but her scattered statements were often oddly paced, as she painted herself the victim in every circumstance so far in her life, but refrained from any details and often had to correct herself. Sokka had no doubt that she had been very wronged by the proud Mr. Darcy, but other than that he was not sure what to think of her anymore. All he knew was that he held no particular regard for her, and must then not have been as in love with her as he and everyone else around him had believed.

He expressed as such to Yue and Katara, both of whom were hesitant to believe his lack of affection. He decided that that must be due to the lack of tone available in correspondence, and that he would simply have to convince them in person whenever he might see them next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone reading this is a Sokkla shipper, I'm going to just apologise now for how awkward I'm writing them. I struggle to write Azula in general, but especially in comparison to Sokka (I may or may not have given him the major heart eyes for Azula that I definitely had as a kid watching the series, but a little self-insertion is good for the soul). Anyway, please leave feedback and I hope that you enjoyed!


	7. Has the Pig Escaped?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka's visit to the Collinses begins, though not all the new characters prove to be friendly faces.

In the blink of an eye, March had come. Sokka, while not looking forward to the journey itself or the required conversing with Mr. Collins, was eagerly awaiting seeing Yue again. He had grown consistently tired of the same unexciting company in those few months, causing him to habit his room, specifically his desk with his various pages of inventions and game strategies, more frequently. Getting outside and conversing with a beloved friend was a welcome change. The journey took several days to complete (though they were unable to route themselves near enough to the Paindaos for Sokka to visit his sister, much to his dismay), but finally Sokka and Sir Lucas came up upon the town of Hunsford.

  
The grand estate of Rosings Park came into view first, and Sokka found himself blown away by the opulence. While Longbourn still retained a certain old-fashioned charm--as the modern generations had not the funds left to refurbish it--it was obvious that Rosings had no such issues. Across the way was the parsonage, a modest yet well-groomed cottage upon whose step a certain Mr. and Mrs. Collins stood, waving towards the carriage as they approached. Sokka allowed Sir Lucas to exit first, though he did not accept Mr. Collins’ offered hand as he climbed out of the chaise.

  
The first evening offered no time for Sokka and Yue to catch up, as Mr. Collins took it upon himself to show off every part of his estate and talked everyone deaf in the process. He often stared directly at Sokka after showcasing part of his property, as if to show off all that Sokka had missed out on by refusing him. Sokka, however, was more focused on how exactly he treated Yue. His treatment was not uncivil, but he often made comments at her expense that she was forced to ignore, and continuously stood himself close to Yue but never touched her, not even to lead her around the garden, which Sokka found an odd change from how he had been treated by the man. Yue looked content for the most part, and her smile was small but genuine as she helped showcase her new life to her friend and father.

  
The next day, Sokka was awakened fairly late by a commotion happening out in the garden. He got dressed in a hurry, wondering what possibly could have happened. Upon entering the parlour on that side of the house, however, he was slightly disappointed to see Sir Lucas watching out of the window in earnest while Mr. and Mrs. Collins talked to two women in a very richly-adorned carriage.

  
“There you are, Sokka.” Sir Lucas said, using the familiar name after many years of Sokka’s acquaintance.

  
“Who is in the carriage that has caused such noise?”

  
“Miss Mai de Bourgh, and her governess, Ms. Jenkinson. She refused an introduction, citing just a quick pass-through on their return to Rosings, but perhaps if you make yourself known, they may make an exception.” Sir Lucas, never a man of subtlety, raised an eyebrow in half-mockery.

  
Sokka, who had grown used to the man by now, huffed playfully, “A woman of such fortune can have no desire to become better acquainted with her father’s rector’s cousin, Sir Lucas. And her governess is too old to tempt me, I am afraid.”

  
Sir Lucas’ laugh was interrupted as the foursome outside broke apart, with the Collinses waiting until the carriage had passed the property before returning inside. Yue had pulled her shawl close up around her shoulders to combat the wind, though she smiled at him as Mr. Collins began to talk once again.

  
“Dear cousin, we are very fortunate indeed! We have all been invited to dine at Rosings tomorrow evening!”

  
~

  
The party decided to walk the short distance to Rosings, with Mr. Collins providing active commentary as everyone else took the time to admire their surroundings.  
At one such point, Mr. Collins turned back to Sokka in particular and commented, “Be not apprehensive about your apparel, dear cousin. Lord Ozai likes to see rank preserved, so your simpler dress is just to his taste.”

  
Sokka, who had not even considered his clothing inappropriate for such a visit, found himself suddenly quite self-conscious and quite the more frustrated with Mr. Collins, though he was careful to remain quiet.

  
The inside of the estate was just as lavish, though decorated in far too many fire motifs and colors for Sokka’s personal taste. All thoughts of the scenery, however, were quickly abandoned whenever they were ushered into the room where the residents of Rosings waited. Lord Ozai took up the most space of the three, in terms of his lavish attire, stern air about him, and the entire gold and red sofa he occupied by himself. Beside him, in a somehow lower-ranked position (there was no such levelling of the room, but the seating and positioning made it feel as such), were both his daughter and his daughter’s companion, the pale Miss Mai de Bourgh and the elder Ms. Jenkinson as Sokka had seen previously. Lord Ozai held a scrutinizing glare towards the entire visiting party, with Miss Mai looking rather bored of them already and Ms. Jenkinson not paying them much attention at all.  
Mr. Collins bowed to his patron, and the rest of the party fell suit. Though Sir Lucas was a man presented at court, and therefore ranked more similarly to Lord Ozai than the rest of the party, Sokka could practically feel the man tense up beside him. Thankfully, Lord Ozai did not give Mr. Collins the chance to give a rambling introduction of each new member.

  
“So this is the Mr. Bennet I have heard about, and of course Sir Lucas,” Lord Ozai did not stand, though decorum suggested he do so while Yue remained unseated. Sokka wondered if decorum really mattered to someone of such wealth, anyway. Sokka and Sir Lucas gave short bows again at the mention, and the entire group was then urged to sit on dark sofas somehow lower in rank still.

  
“This is my daughter,” Lord Ozai waved at the girl, who found solace in fidgeting with something shiny but hidden from view by her shawl. Ozai did not seem too bothered with his daughter’s apathy, and continued, “And this is her companion. We are also expecting my niece and nephew for dinner, though they have yet to arrive. My nephew is usually late, but if circumstances have delayed my niece then they must be relevant indeed.”

  
The entire room seemed to expect Lord Ozai to continue in his speech, but he seemed satisfied with that being the end of it. In the minute of silence, Sokka could feel himself grow even more tense under the man’s judging glare, though thankfully Yue was there to break the attention.

  
“It is very kind of you to ask us to dine, Lord Ozai--”

  
A servant, one of many that flanked the room and the estate, cleared their throat as they entered the room, “Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, your lordship.”

  
“At last,” Lord Ozai seemed frustrated already by the newcomers, “Come, sit, dinner will be a quarter of an hour yet.”

  
Sokka had a vain hope that the Mr. Darcy in question would not be the Mr. Darcy he still had no set characterization of, but, upon turning slightly to see the newcomers, he was met once again with golden eyes and a scarred face of Mr. Zuko Darcy himself. The man looked just as shocked to see Sokka, which gave Sokka some sense of satisfaction, just enough to turn his gaze to Colonel Fitzwilliam. Sokka found himself once again drawn to the powerful figure in uniform, though the spark in her grey-blue eyes was less cunning and more jovial than Wickham’s had ever been. She noticed him staring within moments, and sent a playful wink his way, doing nothing for Sokka’s steadily increasing fluster.

  
“--Oh yes, Lord Ozai, I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Darcy when I was visiting my cousins at Longbourn in Hertfordshire, where his friend--Mr. Bingey, if I am not mistaken--had taken up nearby residence.” Sokka tuned back in to Mr. Collins’ ramblings after finally pulling his eyes from the very attractive newcomers.

  
“I see.” Lord Ozai said simply, silencing the man effectively and eyeing up his nephew in particular, “Mr. Darcy, I notice you did not greet my daughter accordingly.”

  
Mr. Darcy had done the same greeting as every other guest-- a polite nod when mentioned--but yet turned towards the girl in an attempt to apologise for his behavior, “Miss--”

  
“Must you always do that, father?” Miss de Bourgh seemed to have no patience for the others’ bending to her father’s will, cutting off Zuko’s response, “He hadn’t offended you nor me by acting how he did, and he should not have to apologise for it.”

  
“It is my house, and I shall decide his offenses however I see fit.” Lord Ozai snapped, a crackle of electricity passing between his palms. Sokka had never seen lightning bending, a rare and very advanced form of firebending, in person before, and he was rightfully terrified at the display. Thankfully, the group was dismissed to dinner before the conversation could continue any further.

  
The seats were unassigned, but everyone had the general idea of where they should sit. Unfortunately, said placement put Sokka between Mr. Darcy, who was one left removed from the head of the table, and Mr. Collins, who had been given the honorable seat at the foot of the table. Social decree also forced Yue to sit distanced from her husband, which left the Colonel across from Sokka--truly, an affront from all sides. The group split into separate conversations as they took their seats, with Darcy addressing Sokka directly.

  
“I trust your family is in good health, Mr. Bennet?” Sokka made eye contact with the man only briefly, doing nothing to assure Sokka of his character despite the kind question.

  
“They are, I thank you.” Sokka responded in turn, an idea striking him, “My elder sister is currently in London, perhaps you might have seen her there?"

  
While before Darcy had drawn his gaze away innocuously, now he seemed to almost turn his head against the question, “I am afraid not--”

  
“Mr. Bennet, are you a bender?” Lord Ozai said across the length of the table, silencing all other conversations in his wake.

  
“No, sir. My elder sister is a waterbender, but I did not get the gift.”

  
“Hmm.” The answer was unsatisfactory to Lord Ozai, though Sokka had no way to better his own circumstances, “Do you study any weaponry, then?”

  
“I was instructed in fencing and the art of the boomerang, though I have no partners at home with which to practice with, so I am afraid I am not very good,” Sokka had said this to defend his own stance in the family, but also to see if this would cause Darcy to react. The man flicked his eyes toward Sokka, but kept completely silent as Lord Ozai continued.

  
“What about drawing?” Lord Ozai seemed to be going down a mental list of accomplishments that Sokka was failing at, which did nothing to keep Sokka’s morale high.

  
“No, not at all.” He declined to mention his own attempts at drawing various diagrams, as he imagined such works had no place in a discussion of the arts.

  
“What about your sister? Does she draw?”

  
Sokka had to prevent himself from huffing, “No, neither of my two sisters draw.”

  
“Oh. How odd. Though I assume you had not the opportunity to go into town and study under the masters, with your mother absent.”

  
“My--” Sokka had to take a breath to calm himself, “My late mother had no opportunity to take myself or my siblings anywhere in her limited time on this Earth, and I ask she be left out of any further conversation.” He was aware that his tongue was too sharp and his tone too harsh, and decidedly ate the dish in front of him rather than face Lord Ozai directly as if that would save him his fate.

  
“A grown boy, and yet you have still not learned to control your temper. Upon my word, I had no intention of disgracing your mother, no matter what you seem to suggest.” Lord Ozai was cold in his tone, though his eyes--too similar to Darcy’s, though deeper and somehow harsher--were aflame, as if daring Sokka to push his luck. However, for once in his life, Sokka held his tongue.

  
After dinner was no less awkward, though Sokka found himself actively ignored by Lord Ozai (which he much preferred, in all honesty). He stood along with the other men in the room, though he did not understand why they all had to stand to begin with as there was ample seating for all, and Lord Ozai effectively ignored his existence entirely.

  
“Mr. Darcy, how is your sister? Is she keeping on top of her studies?”

  
If Darcy was uncomfortable with Sokka’s gaze, he was actively in pain at keeping Ozai’s, but kept it all the same, “She is. She has progressed past the need for earthbending tutors, and she continues to work on her writing in her free time.”

  
“Very good, very good.” Ozai clearly hadn’t processed Darcy’s words, if Sokka was any judge of character, but the man continued nevertheless, “It is a shame she was not gifted with fire. If my brother had married a firebender, as is proper, perhaps she may have been a great proficient.”

  
Sokka hadn’t even met Miss Darcy, and yet he was offended for her sake. However, something about the comment sent a slight smirk to Darcy’s face which Sokka truly could not decipher. Perhaps he really was cruel after all, or perhaps he really looked upon women as he had spoken that night in Netherfield. Either way, Sokka kept the man in his vision to try and study him further (and to keep himself from staring at the Colonel, who was sat on the same sofa as Yue, a combined true picture of beauty).

  
The group once again broke up into separate conversations, and Darcy once again slinked away from the rest of the party to talk to Sokka directly, though Sokka was determined to take hold of the situation. 

  
“If you mean to continue to talk of you or your sister’s accomplishments, I am afraid my pride prevents me from conceding superiority,” Sokka jested quietly, careful to keep the conversation away from offend-able parties.

  
“I am well enough acquainted with you that no accomplishments will diminish your self-pride, Mr. Bennet, even if I should wish it,” Darcy jested in return, the tone familiar and harkening back to their day of cordial sparring. Before conversation could continue, the Colonel approached them from the side, having abandoned her seat entirely.

  
“If I may interrupt, may I ask how my friend behaved in Hertfordshire? I am afraid the Bingleys can be a rather poor influence on him,” Her tone was just as playful as her eyes portrayed, the smile on her face one of pure amusement without any ulterior motive. Such openness was enough to make Sokka stutter his response.

  
“W-well, if you really wish to know, I am afraid our first acquaintance was rather dreadful. We first met at an assembly, where Mr. Darcy occupied a firm place besides the dance floor but refused to dance with anyone at all, despite the fact that many were in need of a partner--”

  
“I knew nobody but my own party.” Darcy protested, though there was no emotion behind it.

  
“Oh, yes, and no one can be introduced in such a setting.” Sokka jested, earning a slight bit of laughter from the Colonel before Lord Ozai interrupted them all.

“Suki! Mrs. Collins has a question of you,” Lord Ozai called the Colonel back into his circle, leaving Sokka and Zuko to themselves once again.

“I confess I do not--” Darcy seemed to struggle with his words, which confused Sokka further, especially considering he himself had only struggled due to the Colonel’s presence, “I do not have the talent of conversing with others easily, especially those who I do not know.”

  
Mr. Darcy simply nodded, nothing left to add, and turned away to join in a different conversation. Sokka failed to notice the man stare at him consistently the rest of the evening.

  
In total, Sokka stayed in Kent with the Collinses for a little over six weeks. Sir Lucas left after only one, as he is a man with an actual estate and business to attend to, though he seemed satisfied with his daughter’s living situation. Said situation became even more interesting after his departure, however, as ten days into Sokka’s stay, Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam began calling upon the parsonage, and did so until their departure three weeks later. These visits certainly made the lives of the residents of the parsonage more interesting, but not easier and, in the end, certainly not happier. However, each visit brought its own ups and downs, though certain events were constants--Mr. Collins always embarrassed himself in his rambling, Mr. Darcy always stared intently at Sokka whenever the younger man wasn’t looking, Colonel Fitzwilliam was the picture of perfect charisma, and Yue was ever the gracious hostess.

  
The first of such visits was the most awkward, as Mr. Darcy was the only visitor and called upon the house whenever Mr. and Mrs. Collins had left for town, leaving only Sokka to receive him. Upon finding Sokka alone, Darcy immediately apologised, but this did not prevent him from being ushered inside and visiting for a while anyways.

  
Having no other familiar topics, Sokka began the conversation talking about the last time he had seen Darcy, “So did everything go accordingly, with your closing and quitting of Netherfield?”

  
Darcy nodded, and said nothing further.

  
Sokka tried again, “And, how is the Bingley family, when you last left them? I hope they are all well.”

  
“Perfectly so--I thank you.” More of a response, but not enough to sustain conversation. But, again, it was left to Sokka to continue it.

  
“And has a decision been made if Mr. Bingley is to return to Netherfield?”

  
Darcy took a second to respond, eyes still trained everywhere else in the room but Sokka, “I have never heard him say so; but it is probable that he may spend very little of his time there in future. He has many friends, and he is at a time of life when friends and engagements are continually increasing. I would not be surprised if he quits it entirely.”

  
Sokka forced himself to swallow down the disappointment he felt for his sister’s sake, for this was neither the time nor place to express such emotions. This silence, or perhaps Sokka’s expression, finally prompted Mr. Darcy to make the conversation his own.

  
“This house is very comfortable. I believe Lord Ozai did a great deal to it when Mr. Collins first arrived.”

  
Sokka, who had yet to overcome his prejudice against Mr. Collins, despite the length of his current visit and the decent manners the elder man was now displayed, could not resist the urge to tease him, “Your uncle could not have chosen a more willing object to his kindness. Though, his praise of Lord Ozai is, admittedly, one of Mr. Collins’ better traits.”

  
This earned a slight smile from the scarred man, “You would be a better judge of your cousin’s character than I, what with his relation and his marriage to your friend.”

  
“And for those reasons I suppose I am never allowed to speak ill of him,” Sokka jested, but sighed despite his honesty.

  
Darcy’s polite chuckle was not an unpleasant sound as he responded, “I can assure you, I am the last person to judge another for disliking family or friend’s relations. Though I am grateful to my Uncle in many aspects, I am sure you have noticed that he is not the . . . kindest of men.”

  
Sokka almost laughed at the comment, but refrained for fear of offending, “As you will not insult my relations, despite their rank, I will not insult yours, though I believe it would be infinitely worse in my case.”

  
The awkwardness returned as Darcy pulled at his collar, “My apologies if that made you uncomfortable, I just meant it as in you may speak freely around me, without fear of society’s repercussions. I do not much care about societal expectations, though I am aware of them and follow them when necessary.”

  
Now it was Sokka’s turn to nod, obviously unsure of what to say to that. Luckily, the Collinses returned shortly after, and Darcy was quite in a rush to leave once the house was full again (which Sokka and Yue thought odd, especially after Darcy claimed to not have wanted to call upon Sokka alone, but neither knew what to make of it).

  
As the weeks continued, Darcy and his cousin called upon the parsonage frequently--often together, though Darcy occasionally came of his own volition--which brought an odd air. Whenever it was simply Darcy alone, he often sat for ten or more minutes at a time without a word spoken, as if he was visiting out of necessity whenever there was no expectation of such. Whenever he was accompanied by the Colonel--whom Sokka found himself favoring completely to his old beau of Ms. Wickham, though the Colonel did not seem wanting of an attachment, despite her playful nature--she often would make light of her cousin’s silence and overall awkwardness, which helped but also brought attention to the oddity, making the situation overall very confusing.

  
Yue at one point became convinced that Mr. Darcy was in love with Sokka, but even she wavered on that point as Darcy’s awkwardness at every encounter felt unnatural even to a man most ardently in love. She then began to jest that Colonel Fitzwilliam would be the better match. Sokka admitted being attracted to the Colonel, but also pointed out that she had never sought out his company on her own, and that he would much rather it Darcy anyway, so that at least she had a better chance of seeing Yue more often (and, though he was sure the Colonel had some income from her rank and place in society, he was also aware that she may be hesitant to marry a man whom some old-fashioned members of society may deem as above her).

  
During this visit, Sokka often found himself left to his own devices, especially in the mornings, and so began to walk the park between the parsonage and town with frequency. The first time Darcy came upon him during such a walk, Sokka was desperate to escape the situation due to the awkwardness of the encounter, which persisted despite Darcy’s occasional social grace. Sokka took care to say that walking this particular path was a favorite pastime of his, in the hopes that no more chance encounters would occur, only to have Darcy consistently make an appearance on nearly every walk afterwards. Occasionally said walks would last long enough for the men’s conversation to grow easier, but usually the fumbles and misspeakings persisted throughout. Darcy often asked Sokka’s opinion, usually of Rosings or the county or other such topics. Sokka could not fathom why the topic was a favorite of the older man’s, but answered honestly nevertheless.

  
On one such walking day, whenever Sokka was busy rereading Katara’s last letter where she sounded rather out of spirit, he was surprised when the Colonel was the one to join him instead of Darcy.

  
“Oh, I didn’t know you walked this way.” was Sokka’s eloquent greeting.

  
The colonel gave a dazzling smile, “Not usually, but I like to take a full tour before I leave Rosings and was just about to call upon the parsonage, actually. Are you on your way there?”

  
In fact, Sokka was headed exactly away from the parsonage, but turned himself away regardless and walked alongside her, “So--do you certainly leave Kent on Saturday?”

  
“Yes, if Darcy ever truly makes a decision on the matter. I am currently at his disposal, though he is constantly second-guessing himself so perhaps a while longer.” She laughed as if she was privy to private information, and Sokka laughed along to be polite, “Though I have tried at great lengths to convince him that a man of his fortune need not second-guess at all.”

  
“Even great fortunes can be spoiled with a misstep, surely? Though I admit I know not what he has to be unsure about.”

  
“Oh, there is no particular issue on this visit. But he struggles with indecision regardless, just as if it were a grand investment or an indecent marriage.”

  
Sokka added this to his growing and oxymoronic characterization of Darcy, and in his thoughts feel silent for a moment.

  
Fitzwilliam interpreted this silence in her own way and continued the conversation, “Not that he would even have to worry about those, in my opinion.”

  
“Not even for the sake of his sister, the young Miss Darcy? I have heard about her from the Bingleys and from Darcy himself but have yet to meet her.”

  
“Well, perhaps for her. Though, whenever you have the chance to meet her, you will agree when I say that she has a very strong will of her own. A true prodigal bender, which I and most of society envy, but also a girl of good humor and strong opinions. No, I do not think she will ever trouble Darcy with an indecent marriage, especially if the Bingleys’ rumors are true.”

  
Sokka felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, but became determined to gather more information before jumping to conclusions, “I must admit I have not been in recent contact with the Bingleys to know that of which you allude to.”

  
The sly, secretive smile had returned, “You will have to forgive me for not knowing the details, and you must assure me that you will not mention it. It is a circumstance involving Darcy and one who I assume is Mr. Aang Bingley, though if it were to be overheard by the lady’s family it would be a most unfortunate circumstance.”

  
“You can be assured in my not mentioning it.” Sokka urged her onwards, though the sinking feeling had yet to lessen.

  
“My only information comes from Darcy himself, who explained that the reason his earlier business had concluded most suddenly was that he had saved a friend, who I believe to be Bingley, from a most imprudent marriage.”

  
Sokka began connecting the dots and was unpleased with the outline but continued pushing to complete the picture, “Did Mr. Darcy state his reasons for interfering?”

  
“From what I could tell, there were very strong objections to the lady’s family in particular, though I do not know any exact qualms.”

  
Sokka could see the picture clearly now; a Mr. Darcy, unsure in his own pursuits but too proud of himself not to meddle in others’, hearing of the Bennets’ lowly relations and seeing his immediate family’s imperfections and deciding his friend too good for such a match. Sokka could not help but wonder if Mr. Bingley had been consulted on the decision, though a certain part of him dearly hoped that the kind man truly had feelings for Katara and was stolen from her rather than himself being malicious.

  
The rest of their walk was filled with mindless chatter, at least on Sokka’s behalf. Once they reached the parsonage, Sokka excused himself to write back to Katara and confined himself to his room until the house was completely devoid of visitors. He knew rationally that the Colonel had no blame in the events, but still struggled not to lash out against the information and feared that the Colonel would be the closest target.

  
Though Sokka and the Collinses had been invited to take tea at Rosings that evening, Sokka had worked himself up to such a state that he was determined not to go. Mr. Collins tried to push him, waxing and waning about Lord Ozai’s disappointment or how rude Sokka was being, but Mrs. Collins knew better than to push Sokka when he was in such a state and eventually coaxed her husband out of the house, leaving Sokka behind.


End file.
